by C.K. Bryant
Chapter Forty Three
Octavion helped Kira sit up while Lydia retrieved a jug of water. The pain went away almost as fast as it came, leaving a dull ache in its place.
“What happened?” Lydia asked.
“I don’t know. It felt like I’d been kicked in the chest by a mule. How is Luka’s shoulder?” Kira took the jug of water and took a sip.
“I believe it is healed,” Octavion said. “Are you well enough for them to return?”
“Yeah, I guess—as long as he doesn’t hate me for shooting him.” After rinsing Luka’s blood from her hands, she handed the water jug to Lydia and brushed the dirt from her shirt. “I really thought he was going to kill you.”
Octavion laughed. “Luka? I could take him on my worst day.”
“Care for a rematch, cousin?” Luka and Cade stepped into the clearing as Octavion uttered his insult. Luka took one look at Kira sitting on the ground and fired off another comment. “Shall I return to Xantara for my armor?”
Lydia chuckled, but not Kira.
“A true gentleman would have introduced himself before he attacked his Prince.” Kira grabbed Octavion’s shoulder and used it for support to stand. “But if you’d like a rematch, I’d be happy to take you on.”
This time both Cade and Octavion burst out laughing. Lydia, on the other hand, sat there with her mouth, gaped open.
“He has already sworn me to secrecy,” Cade said, now holding his side and trying to gain some control. “Luka—the mighty warrior—crippled by a lady.”
“Silence!” Luka yelled. When the laughter stopped, he straightened his back and walked toward Kira. “Perhaps the lady is correct. My behavior was not befitting a gentleman.” He offered his right hand. “Forgive me, my lady. I am Luka, son of Nestor.”
Kira gave her hand freely and was a little amused at the graceful manner with which he bowed to softly press his lips to her fingers. Not once did he take his eyes off hers, making her feel very uncomfortable. It was the flirtatious glint that caught her off guard, especially since he’d already made it clear he didn’t like her. She watched Octavion out of the corner of her eye. He didn’t like it.
“I see your wound has healed,” Octavion said with disdain. “Perhaps you should see to your men.”
The clearing fell silent as Luka released Kira’s hand and turned to face Octavion. “As you wish. Will you be joining us to give instruction, sire?”
Octavion went to stand next to Kira, a protective stance that reminded her of bull elk preparing to lock antlers. “Go back to the canyon. I will join you there.”
When they’d gone, Octavion stoked the fire and excused himself to meet with the others, leaving the girls alone to talk.
“What was that all about?” Kira asked.
“You mean between Luka and Octavion?”
“Yeah, he was just trying to apologize. Why was Octavion so rude?”
“It goes way back. They’ve always gotten along—acted more like brothers than cousins, but when it comes to women they don’t exactly see eye to eye.”
“Let me guess, they fell for the same girl.”
“Um . . . not exactly. Octavion didn’t like it when Luka confessed he had feelings for me.”
“What?” Kira blurted, almost choking on her own saliva. “But he’s your cousin.”
“Actually, he isn’t. He’s Octavion’s cousin—on his mother’s side. We are not related.”
“And you liked him?”
“I was only fourteen. He was handsome and gallant and—yeah, I guess I did, but I was so young and Luka . . . well . . . he’s a bit of a flirt and I think that’s always bothered Octavion. When he found out, he went crazy. He and Luka got in a huge fight, but they didn’t stay mad at each other long. Bastian . . . started having eyes for me and Luka moved on to someone else. Octavion forgave him.”
“But he didn’t forget,” Kira said.
“No.”
Lydia’s hesitation when she mentioned Bastian’s name didn’t go unnoticed by Kira, and neither did her sudden sadness. Lydia finished braiding her hair and twisted a piece of worn out ribbon around the end to keep it from unraveling.
“You loved him, didn’t you?” Kira dared to ask. “Bastian, I mean.”
Lydia didn’t look up to answer, she nodded and flipped her braid behind her back. “I didn’t see it coming. One minute we were dancing and having a great time, and the next he had a blade to my throat.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”
Lydia shrugged. “It’s okay. I just have a hard time trusting guys.”
Kira laid her hand on Lydia’s shoulder. “You’ll find someone. Maybe Luka will come back around—you never know.”
Lydia laughed. “Octavion would have a cow. Besides, Luka doesn’t like me anymore. He’s a diehard bachelor, destined to be single and flirt for the rest of his life.”
Kira sensed a little regret in her statement, like maybe Lydia still had feelings for him. But instead of pushing the subject, she changed it.
“And what’s the story with Cade? He seems sweet.”
“Oh, man.” Lydia rolled her eyes. “He’s a looker. Can you believe he’s only sixteen? I remember him being all legs and gangly looking when we left. He’s really filled out. I hardly recognized him.” She’d been fiddling with the leather strap that held her knife to her leg, as if trying to get it tied just right. She looked over at Kira’s sheath where the strip of leather was still missing. “Let me see if I can find something to hold your sheath in place.” She pushed to her feet and walked toward the cave.
Lydia had only been gone a few seconds, when an image of a man popped into Kira’s head. He was one of the men that came with Luka—the shorter of the two, but still stood well over six feet. He had stringy black hair that almost touched his shoulders. As the scene played out in her mind, he turned to look at her and a sinister grin crossed his face, causing a small scar on his cheek to pull against his skin. His dark brown eyes turned black. It reminded her so much of Bastian, it sent a shiver clean through her.
Maybe she was paranoid, but being alone in the clearing suddenly scared her. She went to her shelter, grabbed her bow and quiver of arrows, then went to join Lydia in the cave.
When Kira got to the opening, Lydia had found what she was looking for and was on her way out. Even though Kira made no attempt to be quiet, Lydia jumped and screamed at the sight of her.
Lydia put her hand over her heart. “What are you doing here?”
“Sorry, I got spooked.”
“You, spooked? After seeing you take down Luka, I didn’t think that was possible. One minute you were standing next to me and the next you had an arrow pointed at his throat.” She held out a long strand of leather. “Here, take this. So what scared you?”
“Nothing, I guess. I’m just not used to so many guys around. You know them and trust them, but for me they’re strangers.” Kira leaned her bow and quiver against the rock wall, bent over and laced the leather through the opening at the tip of her sheath, tying it around her thigh.
“Actually, I don’t know them all. The two guys Luka brought with him give me the creeps.” She leaned her back against one of the boulders and looked down at Kira’s bow and quiver. “You really were spooked.”
Kira didn’t answer. No sense worrying her over nothing.
“Let’s go back to the fire,” Lydia said. “I’ll find out where Octavion is—maybe he can come back.”
“No don’t. He’s got enough on his mind.”
Lydia walked past Kira and toward the clearing.
But Kira didn’t move from her spot near the cave entrance. Another picture of the same man flashed through her mind. He came toward her, bringing his face so close she felt his breath on her face. He leaned in, breathing in her scent before touching her face with the back of his hand, tracing her cheek, neck and finally her collar bone. The image only lasted an instant, but it made her skin crawl.
Kira slid to the ground, her ba
ck pressed firmly against the cold grey stone. She pulled her trembling knees up and wrapped her arms around them. Even though she knew it wasn’t real, she could smell his putrid breath and feel his hands on her skin. “Stop it!” Kira yelled, clamping her hands over her ears. “Get out of my head!”
Lydia spun around and ran back to the cave. “Kira, what is it?”
“I hate this. I want my mind back.” She tried to shake the image from her head. She couldn’t see it anymore, but the sick feeling remained. She felt violated and dirty.
Lydia let out a sigh. “What did you see?”
Kira looked up. “What do you know about Luka’s . . . friends?”
Lydia paused for a moment. “Just that Luka’s known them for a couple years and he trusts them.” She reached for her ruby, but Kira grabbed her hand before she sent a message.
“No. I’m fine. I—I’ll be fine. Maybe I’m getting images of their pasts or something. I keep seeing the shorter one in my head and it’s making me crazy. They’re so different—ruthless.” Kira pulled herself to her feet, this time following Lydia back to the clearing. It had been dark for quite some time and Kira was exhausted, but she still couldn’t shake the grimy feeling the visions had left with her. She wanted to take a bath. Actually, what she really wanted was a hot shower, but she knew that wasn’t an option.
“Do you think Octavion would be upset if I went to the creek and washed up?” Kira asked.
Lydia bent over the fire to add another log. She looked up, but didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to. The look on her face said she thought Kira had lost her mind. Maybe she had. Here they were in the thick of danger and she wanted a bath? Not exactly logical thinking.
“I know it’s late, but . . . never mind.” Goosebumps crept up Kira’s arms. She tried to rub them away so Lydia wouldn’t notice.
“I’ll ask,” Lydia finally said, rubbing her ruby. An instant later, Octavion appeared inside the tree line.
“She’s shaking like a leaf,” Lydia said. “But now she wants to take a bath.”
Octavion stepped closer, but when he reached out to touch Kira’s arm, she pushed away.
“I’m fine. Now go—do whatever it was you were doing.” She waved her hand in the air.
“You are right, she is shaking,” he said.
“Stop talking about me like I’m not here. I just asked if I could wash up. I’ve had my hands in almost everyone’s blood today, including my own, and I thought a bath would help me sleep.”
“Are you sure that is it?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Ha! She’s lying. You should have seen her a few minutes ago. She was scared half out of her wits. Tell him what you saw.”
Kira glared at her. “I keep seeing Luka’s friends. I don’t know them or what they’re capable of and it scares me.” Kira dropped her bow and quiver. “Just forget it. It’s too dark anyway. I’m going to bed.” She turned and stepped to her shelter, throwing the curtain back and hooking the edge around a branch.
“Kira, wait. I will take you and Lydia to the creek,” he said. “There is a spot near the end of the canyon that is secluded. I’ll build a small fire and instruct the others to set up their camp on the other side of the mountain. But only if I am close by.”
She turned slowly. “I don’t think so. I’m not stripping with you around. Get Toran to protect us.” She looked around the clearing. “Where is he, anyway?”
“He’s busy. I have him watching the perimeter. I would feel better about this if I were with you, especially with Luka’s men around.”
“You don’t trust them?” Another shiver ran through her.
“Luka trusts them and I trust Luka.”