by Dawn Brower
Somehow, she didn’t find it too reassuring. Elodie had trust issues before coming to Malediction. There were not many people she could rely on and count on one hand. Now that she was in the cursed land, she had developed even bigger trust problems, and with good reason. She’d encountered nothing but betrayal and deceit from every being in the land. Athair had probably misled her too. She didn’t believe for one moment that the umercorn wouldn’t find a way of enacting its own brand of duplicity. Sadly, she couldn’t afford to play it safe. The creature had an idea where one of the missing items were, and they had to find them to leave. Stupid umercorn had Elodie and Daire exactly where she wanted them.
“Perhaps you will tell us what it is you want so we can make an informed decision.” Elodie stared at it, awaiting the answer.
“And if I don’t?” the umercorn countered. She pushed her tail into the water and lifted it swiftly so water sprayed all over them. “It’s no loss to me if you never leave Malediction.”
Daire muttered something under his breath. Elodie couldn’t quite make it out, but she suspected she agreed with his sentiments. Nothing in Malediction was easy. Whyever would a conniving umercorn be anything simple? Because it could do whatever it wanted—it held all the power at the moment. Whatever its endgame was—nothing good would come from it. That was one fact Elodie could bet on. All she could hope was that the bad wouldn’t directly affect her or those she cared about.
“Then why are you here?” Elodie asked. “I thought you wanted something bad enough to work with us. If that’s not the case, we can leave.”
“Can you?” the umercorn countered.
“Can we what?” Elodie’s gut clenched tightly. She reached for Daire’s hand. He clenched her hand in his, and it reassured her slightly. At least she had him by her side and he seemed to understand what she needed even when she didn’t. He’d been the most dependable person from start to finish. They each had their own battles to fight, but Daire never let her down. She appreciated him far more than she could ever say. If Cale had been that reliable…
“Leave?” the umercorn said simply. “Here or Malediction. I think you’re effectively trapped.”
The umercorn swished her tail in the water. A spray flung in their direction leaving droplets on her face, and probably Daire’s too, but she didn’t look at him to confirm it. She kept her gaze on the creature. Did it plan on keeping them secluded on the island and at its mercy? What chance did they have of escaping if that was its plan? Elodie did have magic, and so did Daire, but was it enough to defeat the umercorn? She had doubts and no clue what she should do.
“This has been a fun game,” Elodie countered. “But I’m going to call your bluff. If you wanted to harm us, you had plenty of opportunities.”
She turned to leave and figure out a way off the weird little island. The umercorn had no intention of helping them, and Elodie refused to play the creature’s game any longer. She probably didn’t even know where their missing items were. They were wasting precious time discussing the entire thing when they could be using their time more wisely. Elodie took one step and tripped over a root sticking out of the ground. Her entire body hit the ground with a resounding thud. She rolled to a sitting position and wiped mud from her face, then shook it from her hand. The umercorn’s laughter echoed around her, and Elodie wanted to punch the smug expression off her face.
Daire reached down and helped her to her feet. “Are you all right?” he asked.
Elodie didn’t answer him. Her anger was too close to the surface and she didn’t want to take it out on him. “We’ll be leaving now,” she told the umercorn. “By all means, keep laughing if it entertains you that much.” This time when she turned to leave, she made sure to pay attention where she stepped.
“Are you sure that’s the way you want to play it?”
Elodie might be a glutton for punishment, but she couldn’t resist turning around to glance at the creature after she spoke. The umercorn twisted until she was sitting on the boulder with her tail hanging over the side. She lifted her arm and placed her elbow on the edge of her tail, then placed her chin in her hand. It was a lazy inquiring type of pose, as if she were enthralled with what Elodie would do next.
Daire squeezed Elodie’s hand, silently letting her know he had her back. That was all she needed to continue on. She had to find courage somewhere, and Daire was that unending source. The umercorn was so far proving to be a formidable foe. “Why don’t we start at the beginning?” Elodie lifted a brow. “What is your name?” The temperature dropped, and her mud-covered body shivered as a cold wind blew over her. Her life sucked, and she couldn’t wait until she never had to see the damn umercorn ever again.
“That is really bothering you, isn’t it?” The umercorn’s lips tilted upward into a coy smile. “Perhaps I’ll tell you after.”
“After what?” She gritted her teeth to hold back her annoyance.
“Our bargain of course.” The umercorn wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at Daire.
“I’ve had enough,” Daire said—displeasure reverberated through his tone. “You indicated that Malediction had to follow the rules when we spoke earlier. I think those same rules apply to you.” Thank you, Daire… The umercorn wouldn’t appreciate that little reminder.
“Don’t you remember?” The umercorn’s voice was melodic as she spoke to Daire. “I offered to break a few with you.”
Daire really should have filled her in on the details of her possession before this little meeting. How could she properly negotiate when she didn’t have all of the information?
“Forget what you offered Daire,” Elodie said. “If Malediction has to follow the rules—what are those rules, and how can we break them.”
“Some rules are important.” She tilted her head and tapped her chin almost—thoughtfully. “It has to allow you the chance to find your items and return home, but it can make it difficult as you search.”
“So we have a fighting chance.” That was good news anyway. She’d thought their task impossible, but if they had to be allowed the opportunity to find them, they could discover a way to return to Zelnon. “That’s good… Now tell us what item of ours you have access to.”
The time for games had ended. The umercorn kept trying to entice Daire—to do something. Seduction? That bothered her more than she wanted to admit, she was covered in mud, uncomfortable as hell, and ready to throw daggers at the blasted umercorn. She hated that she wanted to resort to violence. Diplomacy would be a better way to come to an agreement with her, but the creature brought out Elodie’s worst traits. She’d thought she’d gotten past her bloodthirsty attitude, then the umercorn flitted her eyes suggestively at Daire, and Elodie had gone into a red haze. The damn creature would stop toying with them or she’d make it. Elodie wanted to end it, and the sooner the better. She was tired of the umercorn’s games. If it didn’t want to disclose its name, so be it. There were far more important things they needed. They still didn’t know what item the umercorn either had or knew how to find.
“I didn’t say I had it,” the umercorn replied. “I might be able to retrieve it though…”
“What do you need from us?” Daire asked. “Quit stalling.”
So, the prince was tired of the umercorn’s charade too. At least it wasn’t just her… “Are you ready to deal?”
“Are you?” the umercorn asked. “I’m not sure you understand the gravity of the situation.” For the first time since they started talking, she had a serious expression on her ethereal face.
“Then explain it to us.” Elodie wanted to strangle the umercorn, but she wouldn’t, that action wasn’t conducive to her main goal—leaving Malediction for good. Maybe then the damn creature would finally give her the information they needed. “If you’re so concerned about our intellectual knowledge, fill in the missing pieces.”
“What I need from you isn’t a simple thing.” She flipped her tail in the water, sending waves toward Elodie and Daire. “You might be s
queamish and weak about what is needed.”
Elodie sighed. “Tell us and let us make the decision for ourselves.”
The umercorn smiled. It didn’t leave anything resembling comfort in Elodie. Instead, fear and uncertainty settled deep inside of her and she braced herself for the upcoming whiplash. Whatever the umercorn intended to say to her would not be a good thing, and the creature reveled in that revelation. She took a deep breath and waited.
“Blood and thunder,” the umercorn said. “From both of you.”
“I don’t understand…”
“I don’t either,” Daire said. “I can’t bring down thunder.”
“Can’t you?” the umercorn turned her gaze on him. “The two of you are connected. Blood mixed in union and the thunder created from it.”
That sounded—disgusting, yet somehow made sense too. What Elodie didn’t understand was why the umercorn needed it from them. What did mixing their blood and creating thunder through their bond give it? “If we do this, you can retrieve one of our items.”
“In theory,” the umercorn replied. “If you hit the right spot with your lightning bolt and create the true thunder.”
Elodie turned toward Daire and lifted a brow. “What do you think?”
He sighed. “I’ll do whatever you want. I’m not sure how trustworthy the umercorn is.”
“Me either,” she replied. Nothing in Malediction could truly be trusted. “But what choice do we have. We need to try.”
He nodded and then turned toward the umercorn. “How do we know where the lightning needs to hit.”
“Follow your instincts,” the umercorn suggested. “They have led you well thus far. You’re both alive, aren’t you?”
Elodie hated cryptic messages. She pulled one of her short swords out of its sheathe and sliced the tip of her finger, then handed it to Daire for him to do the same before returning it to her scabbard. After blood dribbled from his finger too, she touched hers to the center of her palm. He did the same and they clasped hands, mixing the blood and strengthening their bond. Elodie closed her eyes and reached for her magic. Energy crackled around her as she connected to Daire on every level. Their bond grew exponentially until it formed the lightning bolt high in the sky. She opened her eyes and met Daire’s gaze. His pupils were dilated, and something seemed to spark from inside of him. His hair floated around him, and in that moment, she realized hers was doing the same thing.
She smiled at him and he returned it. It filled her with confidence she’d been lacking until that moment. Elodie didn’t realize how much she needed that. Buoyed with that strength and purpose she asked, “Are you ready?”
“Your move, princess,” he replied.
She let go and prayed the lightning hit true… The lightning snapped from the sky and struck down hard. A loud boom echoed on the wind and reverberated through her eardrums. It had hit something, but did it hit the right place?
12
Heaven Dust
Sparks of gold floated on the sky above the horizon that melded into an orange, red, purple and blue kaleidoscope. Heaven dust sprinkled over them and left them awash with magic. The energy fairly burst within Elodie and left her craving more. She continued to stare into Daire’s eyes. He seemed high on magic and perhaps a little hungry for something more. She stepped closer to him and lifted her other arm to loop around his neck; their hands were still clenched from the spell to create the lightning bold. They hadn’t broken their connection the entire time.
Daire didn’t need any encouragement from her—she’d given him plenty with her actions. She wanted to feel his heart beating against hers. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers and a lightning storm broke free in the sky. Bolts hit in a pattern that matched the rhythm of their heartbeats. Their kiss deepened, and more energy unleashed from the sky. The more she tasted him, the higher her craving arose. Every breath, every touch, every second she’d spent with him had come to this. She hadn’t realized until that moment she’d been waiting for him her entire life. What Elodie had believed she’d felt for Cale paled in comparison. This was passion, and life at its best.
“I do hate to interrupt a romantic moment.” A melodic female voice broke through her thoughts. Elodie wanted to scream at her to keep her mouth shut. She wanted to keep kissing Daire. “But I must remind you of the urgency your little magic trick was meant to uncover.”
Damn it… Why did that voice have to make sense? Reluctantly, she stepped out of Daire’s arms. His breathing was equally as heavy as hers, and his eyes were filled with a fiery passion that radiated from within her. They were on equal ground at least. She rather liked that. Slowly, Elodie turned to face the umercorn. She really wished she had a name for the creature. “So, did it hit where we needed it to?”
The umercorn’s throaty chuckle filled the air. “I’m pretty sure one of those bolts hit something.” Her tone held a hint of amusement and a corner of her lips tilted upward. “I think you went a little overboard with that magic show.”
“I do aim to please,” Elodie said sardonically. “Now, can you tell us what item we’re to retrieve?”
“Oh, you don’t want me to dig it out for you?”
Elodie lifted a brow. “I didn’t realize that was an option. You weren’t exactly forthcoming with the details.” She wished the damn umercorn had explained more. She hated that she had to dig the truth out of every being in Malediction. What would it take for an easy path to come her way? She sighed. It was ridiculous to even consider that anything might be simple in Malediction. Her time would be best used on more important endeavors—like finally finding a way home. “Are you going to retrieve one of the items.”
“I might,” the umercorn replied. “I find I have gone a little soft. It does my cold heart good to see two people so in love.”
Elodie rolled her eyes. She wasn’t born this morning, and ignorance would not lead her down the wrong path again. Being trapped in a world designed to make her life difficult had taught her some hard lessons. She didn’t need to see the other side of anything to understand that much. “Please,” Elodie began. “Save your false platitude for someone who’ll believe them.”
Daire laughed. “You oversold your case. She doesn’t love me.” Elodie flinched at his declaration. He seemed so certain—she wished she could be as well. She didn’t quite know what she felt for him and that scared her.
“I notice you didn’t claim not to love her…” The umercorn tapped her chin. “That’s an interesting omission.”
Elodie turned her head toward Daire, but he didn’t meet her gaze. Did he love her? He’d never said… No, that couldn’t be true. It had to be another one of the umercorn’s tricks. “Daire?”
He ignored her and stared at the umercorn. A muscle ticked in his jaw as he clenched it. Elodie scrunched her eyebrows together as confusion set it. What did that mean? He really loved her? What was she supposed to do with that information? As a girl, she’d laid in bed every night wishing for a world of love and acceptance. She’d had so many hopes and dreams, and every single one of them had tumbled down into an inferno of disillusionment. She’d believed she loved Cale, and now she didn’t think that had been what she’d felt at all. She truly didn’t know what her feelings for Daire consisted of. There was definitely passion and an overabundance of desire. When they kissed, her entire body came alive and she wanted more of him. But was that love? She didn’t think she knew exactly what love was. There had to be a way to figure it all out, and she desperately needed more time to decipher it all.
“Enough of your machinations.” Daire kept his focus on the umercorn as he spoke. “Go and retrieve the item”
“Or what?”
“Or the next lightning storm will hit an entirely different target. Don’t think it won’t happen. You don’t know the extent of what the two of us can do together.”
“I think I have an idea.” Her lips curled into a shrewd smile. “However, I don’t think you do. It’ll be interesting to see how i
t all plays out.”
Elodie shook her head, still not believing all the revelations that had presented themselves to her in a matter of mere minutes. Daire loved her… That would take more time than they currently had for it to properly sink in. When they had a spare moment, she’d make him talk to her. They had to figure it all out. She didn’t want to hurt him, but she really didn’t know what to think.
“This is ridiculous,” Elodie said frustration laced through the words. “If you’re not going to get the items, you give me no choice.” She raised her fist into the sky and twisted it until lightning crackled above her. Daire remained at her side ready to aid her if necessary, but she didn’t think it would go that far. Rain began to drizzle lightly over them in a fine mist.
“Tsk, tsk,” the umercorn said lightly. “No need to have a hissy fit. Give me a few moments to go grab your trinkets.”
Without another word the umercorn dived into the sea and left her alone with Daire. Elodie didn’t know how long it would take for her to return. Sadly, she hoped it didn’t take too long. She wasn’t ready to be alone with Daire. “Uh…”
“Not now,” he interrupted her. “We have to stay focused on the task at hand.”
“You don’t want to talk about this?” She didn’t know why, but that baffled her. Was he embarrassed? Did he never plan on telling her how he felt? “I don’t understand.”
He closed his eyes and rocked back on his heels. She’d never imagined Daire actually had any real feelings for her, and she didn’t know what to do with that information. Was he embarrassed to have his feelings exposed? She’d hate to have her inner most desires laid bare, and she wanted to ease his discomfort. If she took a step toward him, held him even in this moment, would he get the wrong idea? She couldn’t make any declarations of love for him when her own emotions were in turmoil. What kind of person did that make her? She had love, and it might not be enough. How could she be that selfish? Her stomach clenched tightly as fear rolled over her. Perhaps that was the true problem. Love sounded great in theory, but it could never be that simple. Love had the power to hurt and could lead to the ultimate failure. Elodie wasn’t ready for that uncertainty and all that came with it.