by Lisa Morrow
He didn’t look at me as he spoke. “They put Nazar in charge until they know whether you survived the battle.”
“So… I survived.” My voice shook.
He increased his pace. “Blair says Nazar will send people to make sure you don’t.”
My head ached. I closed my eyes. “I’ll just disappear.” Then a memory tugged at me before searing into my thoughts. “But what of Sirena?”
For a minute, I thought he wouldn’t answer me.
“Meisha took the roses, and Nazar thinks you have them.” He took a deep breath. “Nazar told the queen, and the remaining Protectors, you plan to change Sirena back. That you want to tell the people of Tarak the truth about what they do.”
I opened my eyes, gazing at the hard lines of his jaw. “They can’t believe that.”
“She’s also told them you’re travelling with a wizard.”
Shakes racked my body.
He continued. “We’re now officially being hunted by The Protectors.”
“What do we do?” My voice sounded small and tired, even to my own ears.
“Meisha’s going to meet us in a city called Ponya. Blair told me where. She has Sirena, and she knows how to turn her back.”
I stared at him, my memories before the battle coming back to me in startling clarity. “I have to save her, even though I know it’d be safer to leave Tarak… but you don’t have to.”
He finally met my gaze. “I go where you do.”
We reached the portal, through an entire land scorched of any life. He adjusted me in his arms, touched one of the carved red roses on the white portal, and it flared to life.
But I couldn’t let him step through, not yet. Not until I knew. “Why are you doing this?”
His mouth drew into a thin line. “I’m not ready to give up yet.”
I didn’t know if he spoke of us or about leaving Tarak, but I curled into his warm body. All I really needed was a seed of hope, for us, and for our future. “Thank you.”
He nodded, and we entered the portal.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lisa Morrow is a life-long reader who treasures fantasy in all forms. Being a middle child in a large family gave her a unique perspective on the world, but few experiences compare to her time spent studying abroad in Cambridge, England and wandering throughout Europe.
After her travels, Lisa settled down in Arizona to teach junior high English, and later, to spend time with her young children, husband, and cats. To some people, her life may seem quiet. But to her, every day is spent in a world colored by the imagination of children, and fantastical worlds created by her very own mind.
Find her online at: http://www.lisamorrowbooks.com/
Follow her blog at: http://lisamorrowbooks.wordpress.com/
MORE WORKS BY LISA MORROW
The Goddess of the Sea no longer cares just for sacrifices; she’ll punish all those tainted by blood on The Feast of Darkness.
On this cursed night each year, The Goddess’s powerful magic lingers in the air. The moon and seas turn red, stirring violence in all those creatures dark of soul. Lady Dessi Quinn has vowed not to leave the castle on such a dangerous night. Instead, she longs to explore the strange connection between Lord Smit Croswell and herself, even as she tries to deny it.
But as the night progresses, events outside of her control force her to make an impossible choice. A choice that will throw her into danger and change the course of her life forever.
If she can survive it.
Note: “The Goddess of the Sea” takes place in the world of Tarak, but readers can either enjoy this short story before or after To Kill a Wizard.