Songbird

by Colleen Helme

  Time passed slowly, adding fuel to her frayed nerves. She paced the floor, then finally took a seat at the table. What was taking them so long? Had King Thesald sent men looking for her this far away from the city? She wondered how King Thesald was taking her escape and perversely hoped he was suffering.

  Then her thoughts went to Leona, and she hoped her grandmother was all right. She hated seeing her so frail. The night of the ritual had been wonderful, but it had taken a toll on her.

  Teya blushed at what Leona had done, and almost wished Bran hadn’t kissed her after the ceremony. He had inadvertently sealed the bond Leona had created, and if he ever kissed her again, he would know something was there. He would be furious, and she could hardly blame him. They should have given Bran a choice, but Leona wasn’t about to let fate determine their future. Leona thought his help was too important, but Teya didn’t like deceiving him, and guilt tightened her chest.

  She leapt to her feet at the sound of footsteps coming toward the door. The lock rattled and the handle began to turn. She held her breath as the door opened, then sighed to see Jesse coming inside. Her relief turned to concern to find him alone. “Where’s Bran?” Sudden coldness settled in her stomach and her throat tightened.

  “Bran went back to the inn for your horses. He’ll be here in a minute, but I couldn’t wait. I wanted to make sure you were safe.” Jesse hurried to her side and studied her face. “We got the message off. We should hear from your brother soon.”

  “Oh...that’s good.” Teya swallowed her fear, and tried to relax, but couldn’t quite manage it.

  Jesse took her hands, startling her, and she jerked a little, but he wouldn’t let go. He stepped closer and gazed into her eyes with concern. “You don’t know what a chance you took singing with me tonight. I’m glad you did, but it was dangerous. Your beauty is like a beacon and your voice... it’s like nothing I’ve ever heard before. So pure and clear. Beautiful doesn’t begin to describe it.”

  The way he held her hands caused a flutter of unease at the base of her neck and she tried to pull away. “Thanks...uh... when do you think Bran will get here?” His lips quirked into a frown and he let go of her hands. She took a step back, and waited for an explanation, but he ignored her question.

  “I knew who you were the minute you started singing. You’re legendary. People tell all kinds of stories about you. I wonder how many of them are true.”

  Teya’s heart pounded. Had he known who she was before she told him? He reached out to touch her cheek, but she flinched away and his hand dropped. He took a deep breath and let it out. “Sorry, I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable. You’re just…you fascinate me.”

  He walked over to the bed and sat down, patting the space beside him. “While we’re waiting for Bran, why don’t you tell me about the grove? It’s not far from here is it?”

  “Not too far.” She wasn’t about to get closer to him, but she tried to appear calm, even though her legs trembled.

  “I wish we could go there now,” he said, ignoring the fact that she’d stayed right where she was. “The grove has pulled at me for a long time. Don’t you feel it in your blood?”

  “Yes.” What was he getting at? She pursed her lips. “But I’m not going back without the others.”

  “Of course not. We’ll all go back together.” Jesse stood and began to prowl around the small space.

  “Is something wrong?” Dread tightened her stomach. “Why are you pacing like that?”

  His startled gaze jerked to hers, then his eyes narrowed. “As a matter of fact, we were followed by a hunter, but we managed to capture him. The real reason Bran isn’t here yet, is because he’s questioning the hunter right now. Bran sent me back to make sure you were safe. I would have told you when I came in, but I didn’t want to worry you. Bran insisted on questioning him in case he could tell us where our people are.”

  “Oh,” she said, but something about this didn’t sound right. “Well...you can see I’m fine. Why don’t you go back and help him? Or we can both go. I can use my magic...”

  “No. It’s not safe. You need to stay here.”

  Her chest tightened with dread. Something was wrong, she knew it. She marched toward the door. “Where is he? I’m going to help him. Whether you come or stay is up to you, but I’m going.”

  His fingers dug into her arm, and he jerked her against his body, pushing her back into the door. She inhaled to use her magic and his mouth came down on hers.

  She struggled against his bruising kiss, but he pinned her arms down and pushed her tight against the door. She twisted her neck, and groaned deep in her throat. With that, he broke the kiss. Then hit her with a deep magic tone.

  Even though it wasn’t powerful, the tone reverberated painfully through her head, drowning her in a pool of darkness. The strength left her body and her vision blurred. Before she blacked out, Jesse caught her in his arms and carried her to his bed. While she lay stunned and powerless, he gently stroked her hair.

  “I’m sorry I had to hurt you,” he murmured. “But I promise if you help me it won’t happen again.”

  The pain pounding in her head lifted, and she fought against the darkness. It slowly gave way, but before she had enough strength to summon her magic, Jesse pulled a cloth from beside the bed and stuffed it in her mouth, then tied a gag around her. He left her side for a moment, bringing back a piece of rope and bound her hands together.

  “I’m doing this so I won’t have to hurt you again.”

  Teya moaned and shook her head. How could he do this to her? What had she done?

  “Hold still. I need you to listen carefully to what I have to say.” She quieted and he continued. “The king was livid when you escaped, and he called on me to find you. I’m a hunter. The best hunter there is, and he paid me well, but that’s not the reason I wanted to get to you first.”

  He finished tying the rope and sat beside her, his brows drawn together. “I’ve seen you many times at the palace. Your song always touched me here.” He gestured to his heart, and her eyes widened. He smiled at her surprise. “I kept out of sight. You never saw me, but I’ve always felt bad about how you were treated. I decided that if there was a chance I could help you, I would.

  “When word came that you’d escaped, I thought you might try to reach the grove. Since this city is near the border, I took a chance that you’d come through here.” His gaze held hers and she shivered at the raw hunger gleaming in his eyes. “And look what happened.”

  He smiled and touched her cheek, but she turned her head and fought the tears gathering in her eyes.

  “What you told me about the grove is fascinating,” he continued. “I’ve been trying to find a way in there for a long time. Several of my companions have died trying to get past that black thing. But now you’ve given me hope. I’ll make you a deal. Share the tones with me, and I won’t take you back to the king. I’ll even tell you where the rest of the Kalorians are. We can go to the grove together.”

  Teya’s stomach clenched. What did Jesse want? Was he after the water? How could he betray his people and hunt them down like animals? He was crazy if he thought she would ever bargain with him. If he could do this to her, he would say or do anything to get what he wanted. That probably included taking her back to the king. She couldn’t trust him to do anything he said. Then a new thought sent terror racing through her heart. Where was Bran? What had Jesse done to Bran?

  Jesse stood at the approach of footsteps, and Teya tried to calm her racing heart. Three men came through the doorway, each had a fair amount of blood on them, and their faces showed signs of swelling and bruising. She recognized two of them from Jesse’s band. The third sported a swollen eye, but they all seemed pleased with themselves.

  “That her?” The third one said, and started toward them. Jesse blocked his way.

  “She’s Kalorian and none of you are going anywhere near her. She’s too valuable to be damaged...in any way.”

  The man shrugged
, and Teya shivered when his cold stare crawled over her body. She knew he was only biding his time until he could get her alone. The others weren’t quite as obvious, but dangerous just the same. At least Jesse hadn’t told them who she was.

  “We took care of her friend,” the man said. “He’s dead.”

  Cold pain rose in a scream that tore through her throat. Bran? Had they killed him? She jerked forward to twist to her feet, but Jesse struck her with another dark tone of magic. The pain knocked the breath from her, and she fell back against the bed. She doubled onto her side with sudden nausea and, with the gag in her mouth, started to choke.

  Startled, Jesse leaned over her and pulled the gag away to help her breathe. “I told you to be still so I wouldn’t have to hurt you again.” After she caught her breath, Jesse helped her lay back on the bed. “If you don’t cooperate, I will put a kundar around your neck. You don’t want that do you?”

  Through a dark haze of pain she whispered. “A true Kalorian would never do anything like this. You can’t be one of my people. You aren’t worthy of the name. Bran took the kundar off to help me. He was a much better man than you’ll ever be. You disgust me.”

  He pursed his lips, then sent another wave of magic over her. The sharp pain exploded over her, then clouded her mind in a blanket of darkness. But that pain was nothing compared to the heartache clutching her chest. She would never see Bran again. He was dead, and it was all her fault.

  ****

  Soft moaning brought him awake and he realized it was coming from his own throat. Pain tore through his body like lightning, and he struggled just to breathe. With small pain-filled movements, he managed to turn onto his back and look into the night sky. One eye was swollen shut, but from the position of the stars, he knew he hadn’t been out long, and he marveled that he was still alive.

  Thirst and pain wracked him with dark intensity in those first waking moments, but thoughts of Teya kept him from letting go of life. Between lucid moments, he remembered the flask of grove water in his inside jacket pocket. If he could get to it, he might have a chance, as long as it was still there.

  With quiet determination, he willed his arm and fingers to move to his pocket. Grunting with effort, he touched the silver flask and gasped with relief. He pulled it out. After a long rest, he managed to bring the flask to his swollen lips.

  Using his teeth, he pulled off the cap and caught the rush of water pouring into his mouth. At first, it was difficult to swallow, but a will to live drove him past the pain. A few drops sloshed across his face and neck, but he tried to get as much of it down him as he could without choking on it. Still, the flask emptied long before he was ready. Lying quietly, he waited for any sign that the water had taken effect.

  After a moment, he noticed that the pain had lessened and he could breathe easier. He closed his eyes with relief, then tested the movement in his arms and legs. Although his fingers and wrists were swollen, only a few bones seemed broken. He couldn’t say that about his ribs. Every time he moved they grated against each other in excruciating pain.

  He needed more grove water, but the waterbags were with the saddles and horses back at the inn. He didn’t think he could make it that far and worried about Teya. Where was she now? Had Jesse taken her away? He hated to think of a kundar around her neck. It was his fault. He should have been more careful. He needed to find her before they took her back to the king, an impossible task in his condition.

  As he mulled over his options, he remembered the sym he’d taken from the body in the waste. It was nestled in another pocket, and if his luck held out, it would still be there. With bated breath, he rummaged inside and found one of the cylinders pushed into a corner.

  Relief coursed through him that it was unbroken and full of crimson liquid. He’d never taken sym before, but if it would heal him for just a few hours, he could get the grove water he needed. More important, he could get back to Teya.

  Not daring to wait any longer, he sat up on one elbow and pulled out the cork with his teeth, then raised the vial to his lips. The liquid tasted slightly coppery, but he drained the cylinder in one gulp and fell back to the ground, waiting for a miracle.

  The seconds slowly passed, each with a new wave of anticipation. How long would it take before he knew it worked? So far, nothing seemed to change. The seconds turned to minutes and Bran blew out his breath in frustration. That was when he noticed his ribs didn’t hurt. He took another breath, deepening it until his lungs were full. The pain was gone!

  In wonder, he smiled and realized that his lips weren’t cracked and bleeding. His hands and wrists moved with ease and his vision cleared. With a racing heart, he stood and breathed in the cool night air and a sense of awe came over him. Part of him had never believed that the sym would work. But now he knew otherwise.

  He also knew it wouldn’t last long, so he focused on the task at hand and found the trail that took him through the woods and back to the edge of town. He squelched his first impulse to get Teya, and headed toward the inn for the horses instead.

  Precious time slipped away before he found the inn, but he managed to sneak into the stables unnoticed. Relief coursed through him to find his horses and supplies still there. He found a bucket of water near the stalls, and washed the blood from his face and hands, then saddled both horses, pausing to take a long drink of grove water to sustain him. As quietly as possible, he took the horses out of a side entrance.

  He breathed easier with the inn behind him. Now, all he had to do was find Teya. He hoped she was still at the house, but if not, it was the best place to start. He found a secluded place in the woods not far from Jesse’s house and tethered the horses.

  Needing a weapon, he rummaged through his saddlebags and found a knife, grimacing that Jesse had taken his gun. He perversely hoped Jesse would shoot himself trying to figure out how to use it and save him the trouble.

  As he headed back, he kept to the walls and shadows, being careful not to make any noise. He entered the outskirts of town and followed a street that led toward the area he remembered. At the end of the block, he turned the corner, and there it was.

  A single candle glowed through a window, and he wondered how many men he would have to fight to free Teya. Thoughts of another fight tightened his stomach, but this time, surprise would be on his side. He watched a few moments from a shadowed corner. Satisfied that no one was coming, he hurried across to the building.

  He glanced through the window and relief swept over him to find Teya sleeping on a bed. Her hands were tied in front of her, and roped to the bedpost. A gag was tied around her mouth, and his heart lifted to see that they hadn’t put a kundar around her neck. One of his attackers lay sprawled in a chair across the room asleep, and there was no sign of Jesse.

  Knowing he had to hurry, he crept noiselessly to the back of the house. He found a large rock and edged to the door. To his surprise, the knob turned and he pushed the door open. Stepping inside, the man stirred, but remained asleep. Bran made his move. In three strides he reached the man and hit him over the head with the rock, knocking him out with one blow.

  He turned to Teya and found her staring at him in wide-eyed wonder. Her eyes filled with tears and he hurried to her side. “Shh…I’m here now. It’s going to be all right.” His fingers shook as he loosened the gag and pulled it away from her mouth.

  “Bran...I thought you were dead,” she said, her voice thick with emotion.

  He pulled out his knife and cut through the ropes binding her hands. “I got lucky,” he said. “Where’s Jesse?”

  “He’s meeting someone, but he’ll be back any minute.”

  Bran helped Teya stand, and she threw her arms around him, surprising him with her strength. He held her tightly, enjoying the feel of her body against his. With closed eyes, he breathed in her scent, then reluctantly pulled away. “We need to get out of here.”

  Teya nodded, her eyes brimming with unshed tears, and they started toward the door.

  �
��I have the horses tethered nearby. Can you run?”

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  Bran opened the door a crack and glanced out. Seeing no one, he opened it wide. With Teya’s hand in his, they dashed to the other side of the street, pausing at the corner. They continued in this manner, waiting in shadows and listening for signs of people, until they’d cleared the streets, and the woods lay before them.

  As they entered the copse of trees, the shadows seemed to wrap them in a cocoon of protection and Bran let out a breath, relieved to have made it this far. He forged ahead, but it was hard to keep moving in the dark. Teya sang a soft note and a tiny circle of light appeared in front of his feet. He squeezed her hand in thanks, and kept up the pace until he felt it safe enough to rest.

  “We can stop here for a minute.”

  Teya’s breath heaved in and out, but she wouldn’t let go of his hand. Once her breath slowed, she caught Bran’s gaze. “You were right about Jesse. I’m so sorry. How could I be so stupid?”

  He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. “You didn’t know. It’s not your fault.” Her regret hit him hard and he hurried to comfort her. “It’s okay. You’re safe now.” She relaxed against him and he felt her guilt float away and something else take its place, a feeling of tenderness and warmth.

  He sucked in his breath realizing she was like a breath of fresh air after rain, and all at once, he never wanted to let her go. He lifted her face in his hands and gently wiped the tears away. The small light she’d created reflected in her luminous eyes. With sweeping tenderness, he lowered his lips to hers.

  In that moment, their hearts beat in perfect harmony, and something sparked, flying from her into Bran. It seared through his lungs and into his heart, tying them together in some part of his soul.

  Bran pulled away with a gasp. What the hell? His heart raced. It felt like a powerful bond had formed between them. All at once, he could feel her presence somewhere in the back of his mind, and it took his breath away. Shock reflected in Teya’s wide-eyed gaze and her body trembled.