The Coming Dawn Trilogy

by Austen Knowles

  They lingered as Cobaaron sent the boats, and in his anger, the messages were written deep, and the ink bled. Wyt snatched a few more inscribed plants, maybe because the king caught them, or because they were illegible. Then they headed to the huts showing Cobaaron and Ky where they would be staying.

  While standing outside a hemisphere with a round hole in it, resembling a birdhouse, Wyt told Cobaaron the smithy was ready for him, and then said, “You can hammer out your frustrations about your brother. I assure you that when you are done, you will feel much better.”

  Cobaaron didn’t look hopeful, but left Ky with Wyt.

  “May I have a word with you, Ky?” Wyt asked the moment they were alone.

  “Of course.” Ky shifted uncomfortably, because she knew what he was and how dark magic could completely consume witches.

  “You fear Ambrosia is a witch,” Wyt said, as if he read her fears and thoughts. Ky nodded, and then realizing it was a ridiculous gesture in front of a blind Star. “She is a witch.”

  “I see,” Ky breathed, but she wasn’t entirely shocked.

  “Healers and their families are all ancestors of the same race, carrying trade secrets of magic amongst themselves. They are their own tribe of people scattered around the world. They all know many spells that every child learns. Most of these are old charms that every witch and wizard learns at a young age. Then each family has individual knowledge of magic, as kin invent spells and pass them down. These rare enchantments are closely protected secrets within households. The greatest wizards have several coveted spells unique to the ancestry. Long lines of witches have numerous dark curses. Whereas healers have plenty of charms that bring only good to the world. It’s the nature of hex that separates healers from witches, and those who choose to study evil incantations.

  “Do not confuse healers with witches. Here, witches are considered evil. Ambrosia is certainly not that, and in this world is viewed as a healer’s daughter. Those who despise wicked magic are not wicked. That is very important if you are to understand the difference. Those who claim to be witches are proud of their magic. There is much to learn in the field of dark wizardry. They have learned not only the good spells, but also the dark. So, they are twice as lethal.

  “The more a man or woman studies forbidden knowledge, the less they think it’s wrong and justify the magic as useful, and the more they learn they realize the dark side has much to teach them. Their pride in their magic compels them to claim they are witches, because they see no harm in their evil curses, only power.

  “I tell you all of this because you have seen Ambrosia protecting you in the near future. The vision was given to you to reveal you can trust her. She’s an exceptionally powerful healer’s daughter, though she is still young and unconfident. Abandon any fearful thoughts of Ambrosia, and befriend her at once. You need to trust her because soon you will need to follow her every request. You’re lucky she doesn’t know you fear her; in her mind, she believes you are a friend. Encourage it, because before the end, you will need her many times. And it will not be long before she truly is a great friend.”

  Ky nodded and let his words seep in. “I don’t understand then why women are considered corrupt while men can never be.”

  “Ah, well, that isn’t exactly true. A male is equally as capable of evil as a female, are they not? But women have a knack for learning spells in this world. I think it’s because they have more incentive to learn at a younger age. Also, most great inventions are created by women, and in duels their quick thinking and creativity helps them. Old prophesies speak of female witches approaching great kings with gifts, which led people to believe only the female race can be vile. Let this world hold onto those ideals, because having this as a social norm is preventing the male race from striving to be great with dark magic. This will not always be, in the future men will excel in dark magic; they will be among the best and worst—the most feared. But for now, keep this secret and tell no one, as healers do.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Ky waited for Cobaaron on a bed of tight ropes. He was taking so long, she awoke from a nap a half hour ago, and he was still not back. She didn’t blame him for purging his anger after learning Noxis was thinking of killing her. Ky was having a difficult time coming to terms with it while still holding warm thoughts toward Noxis, but she knew she didn’t die. The prophecies said she lived, and the written word couldn’t be changed. She would survive.

  Ky tossed and turned until Cobaaron entered the small round door. She bolted upright. He watched her, with eyes filled with sorrow in his solemn expression, but said nothing. Instead, he lifted and hugged her. “Hey, are you okay?” she asked in a soothing voice. He had never sought attention, and she knew it was because he was worried.

  He took a deep breath as he swayed into her, intoxicated by her scent. He kissed her neck, sending a warm shiver through her body. “I won’t let anything happen,” he whispered. “I won’t make any more mistakes.”

  “I don’t die. The prophecy said so. Let’s forget about it. We’ll worry needlessly.” Ky leaned into him. He squeezed her tighter.

  “I knew you were going to say that,” he mumbled as he nuzzled her neck. He nibbled and tasted her skin with his tongue. “You taste like gourmands. I like it.”

  “I like the attention,” Ky said softly. She arched her neck, letting him take her how he pleased.

  “I’m jealous that Wyt has a son.” He leaned away from her to smile, but it slowly disappeared. He put his hand on her cheek and gently circled his thumb around her chin. “I can see how Noxis would suspect you. I’ve changed a lot. Before, I thought of nothing but my men, my mission, my position, sparring, and war. My position was everything. I was trying to be the greatest warrior this world has ever seen. I fought battles to ensure my name. Nothing was going to stop me, especially not a woman. Women repelled me; I don’t respect them, the way they sleep with so many men.... They’re always obstacles for my studs, and I despised the way they threw themselves at my warriors. I wouldn’t tolerate being around them in cities. And then I met you.” Ky beamed at him. He kissed her. “You’re so different. You’re modest, strong, and intelligent….

  “This is what you know, me as a lover and as a very different man. I didn’t exist until you, not like this. I don’t hate him for suspecting you. I’ve changed radically. Only I know how easily I succumbed to you, as if all along I wanted this, but never admitted it until I fell for you. I knew you were different before we reached Gem City.

  “I don’t want you to hate him, Ky. He’s my family, and a great friend. I don’t know what will happen, but I know you won’t die. That is great comfort.”

  “I won’t focus on it.” Ky kissed him. “I’ll deal with my anger after it happens. Maybe it won’t. It’s not a written archive.”

  “No, I guess not. But I know you won’t focus on it and won’t deal with your anger later either. You bottle things up, and when you’re upset it all comes out. But it’s okay; I like my wife having a bit of a temper,” Cobaaron said, smiling.

  Cobaaron kissed her, and undressed her by slipping the dress straps off her shoulders. “What are you doing?”

  “We’re going to take a bath. Your hair is a clumpy mess.” Cobaaron moved her shimmering hair to kiss her shoulder. He walked her backward, deep into the carved out cave the hemisphere hid. Cobaaron stopped, as she tugged at his belt. “I got it, love.” He unlatched his belt, letting his scale skirt drop. As she slipped out of her dress and shoes, Cobaaron removed his sandals and rubber straps around his arms. He climbed into a carved rock tub in the floor, and warmed the water with the heat of his radiating body. It was boiling when his silver veins ceased to shine. Ky dipped in, and took a relaxing breath and together they dunked into the water.

  When they surfaced, Cobaaron took a handful of sticky gel from a flower-like calla lily with an unusually large cup full of tacky nectar. He rubbed it in his hair and then submerged to rinse. Ky did the same, and when the gel washed away,
Cobaaron asked her to put more syrup in her hair and leave it.

  “Women wear winged kaspas in their hair. I’m sure you saw them. They’re lazy and slow, and once they find nectar they’ll linger, eating the dried sweet residue. The women of this city would find it flattering to see my wife enjoying their custom.”

  He watched Ky rub gel into her already dry hair. Cobaaron’s eyes gleamed with pride, and then thanked her with a kiss for complying.

  “Have you tasted it?” Cobaaron asked her with a wicked grin.

  “No.”

  “I like it; it’s sweet.” He lifted her out of the water, setting her in front of him. He then took syrup, and smeared it over her shoulders. The nectar mixed with the dried, glowing fruit juice, and as he smeared it, the two blended until neon green paste covered her body. His fingers slowly rounded the curve of her deltoid, but he wasn’t watching what he was doing; he caught her eye. His expression revealed his desire to first coat and then consume her. Her breath stilled when she realized his intent. He cupped and circled her breasts, wetting them as he layered her with nectar. He swirled the cool nectar thick around her areolas, adding more as he went. He lightly pinched her nipples, allowing his fingers to easily slip off the tip as he gently squeezed and flicked. She moaned each time her nipple slipped free of his light caress. He poured on more of the sweet, sticky goo, and she watched him play in his wonderland of her glowing and edible body.

  Cobaaron licked her with the tip of his tongue, and then brought his collected nectar to her mouth. He drew his tongue across her lips, letting her sample the sweet flavor. “I like the way you taste; I always have,” he murmured. She bit her bottom lip to and then enjoyed his delectable touch as his tongue stroked hers for a long, lingering kiss.

  Once again, he caressed her curves, watching his fingers trail in the thick nectar as he painted her body. Trying something new was thrilling and the excess of sticky gel was cool and it was arousing to watch him fondle her in the new glowing shade. Ky followed him with her eyes as he collected more sugary liquid. He rubbed it onto her stomach, and then south to her legs while he opened them. He groped her inner thigh, knowing it drove her wild, and then slid his thumb along her sex. She trembled when the moisture wet her.

  Cobaaron stood between her thighs, and leaned down to kiss her. Immediately their tongues met, and they shared the nectar from his lips, abandoning the desire to savor the sweetness of her body, and instead enjoying deep, long and passionately slow kisses.

  He slid an arm around her back, and she relaxed against his forearm. He caressed her, drawing his hand from between her breasts to her navel. Now that she was covered, he savored her skin. “Please.” She begged, but didn’t know what she wanted exactly. Maybe she desired his lips and tongue to linger along her sex, or the curve of her breasts, or maybe she wished for anticipation.

  He kissed her shoulders, tasting while lightly gliding his tongue downward between soft bites. Then he sampled her breasts and cleavage, leaving pink marks after gentle sucking. His mouth explored her curves while he savored every inch of her. He skimmed her nipples with his lips only to taste, before moving on, and tonguing her navel until she was utterly consumed as he indulged in the combined flavor of her unique honey-scented skin and the nectar.

  He nibbled lightly, but increased the pressure to perfection until she moaned. He tasted her everywhere, while confessing his addiction to her. He returned to her breast and flicked his tongue across her nipple. He breathed in cold air from parted lips. In slow circles, he rounded her tight areola until her breathing was heavy.

  Cobaaron eased her back to the floor and covered her with the warmth of his thick body. Then, unexpectedly, he stopped kissing and rested his head on her chest. No longer interested in sex, he decided he wanted to rest close to her. He listened to her heart, while she fingered his hair. He was still for some time before taking a deep breath. “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t want anything to happen to you. I’m sorry, but I don’t want sex.” Cobaaron reached for his belt, and untied something from the end of it. Then he lifted her off the floor, and they sank into the tub. Ky straddled his lap while they soaked, and she lovingly played with his wet, messy hair.

  “I will be fine. It was a vision that could mean nothing.”

  “Right,” Cobaaron said, but clearly didn’t believe it. Obviously, he was trying to make her feel better.

  “I love you.” Ky kissed him. For some reason, it felt good to see him so worried about her, as if his fear was an affirmation that he loved her. Ky smiled at him, tilted her head, and then touched his chin while saying, “Chin up.”

  “That’s a peculiar expression.”

  “It means to keep a positive attitude.”

  “Yes, but it’s still strange.” Cobaaron teasingly winked at her.

  He clutched her hands holding them under the water. “You’re my wife. Maybe it’s natural to be so protective. Maybe I can be upset about this and keep my chin down.” She felt a light pinch on her finger. “I don’t want to see you hurt.”

  “I’ll be fine, Cobaaron.”

  “I know.”

  Cobaaron held her hand and said, “In your world, this is backward. I married you first.”

  “What do you mean?”

  He brought her hand out of the water, and flattened it over his heart. It took her a moment to realize what he had done. A ring snuggly fit around her middle finger in the shape of a ship with a triangularly glowing peach stone for the sail.

  “A moon rock is the ultimate symbol of love; Titus, the god prince of this world, gave his beloved the very stone to show his love.”

  “Do you mean the Angel of Death? The one who gave the girl the moon?”

  “Well, maybe they’re the same. I gave you a stone from the sky. I want you to know that my love is equally as great as theirs, and it will remain strong until my dying breath.”

  Ky grinned, and then kissed him for being so thoughtful and romantic. “I love you so much. Thank you.”

  *****

  Cobaaron and Ky were dressed in native attire, magically transformed to withstand their hot bodies. They exited the hut, heading to the elevated city center where the townspeople had arranged pillows. Each circle of soft seats had large bowls for sharing food in the middle. The food glowed like everything else in the environment. The meat gave off a red radiance, and the fruit were a variety of neon colors. That wasn’t the only difference. The lake was a fountain of glowing green water cascading and encircling the city center.

  All the people had changed clothing. The men wore vests and longer sarongs. The women wore long-sleeved midriffs with low-hanging skirts, and several jeweled bracelets and necklaces.

  Wyt was waiting for them to join his family for dinner, and stood to greet them. His wife and son followed suit. All three warmly welcomed them; though his painfully shy wife never looked them in the eye. She was plain and small, with a long thin nose, and big, bright blue eyes that she passed down to her son.

  Ky couldn’t understand why Wyt said his son was built like a warrior. He wasn’t tall for his age, and he didn’t look brawny like a warrior. In fact, he was the opposite. He was scrawny.

  Cobaaron gave a terse nod at the small boy, apparently not noticing his thin little body. “This is Surv,” Wyt said proudly to Cobaaron when he rested his hand on top of Surv’s head. He then addressed Ky: “And this is my partner, Yulley. This is Cobaaron’s wife, Ky.” Yulley draped her arms around her son as he stood in front of her. She squeezed him tighter to her body, like a security blanket. The young boy stared at Ky’s crimson glowing hair with green blotches from the fruit. She couldn’t feel them, but suspected the winged kaspas were already hanging on strands of her hair. “Please join us. We have several surprises for you and your men in the course of the week, but I’m very eager for one event.”

  Wyt gestured for them to be seated. They got comfortable, and ate as the warriors, women, and citizens of Sarnia trickled into the city center. Co
baaron and Wyt talked endlessly, leaving Ky to struggle to carry on a conversation with the very shy Yulley, while Surv picked at the food eating only sugary fruit.

  “So...were you born and raised in Sarnia?” Ky asked Yulley.

  “Yes,” she said then glanced at her husband as if begging him to join the conversation, but Wyt asked Cobaaron a question and wasn’t listening to his wife.

  “Do you like it here?” Ky probed.

  “Yes.”

  “It’s pretty here.” Ky looked around. The glowing green fountain and the illuminating plant life were continually fascinating. Small animals were creeping up the vines. It was a truly fascinating environment. “I would never tire of living here. It’s so different from where I come from. Well, there is bioluminescence, but typically, it’s deep under water where people can’t go to enjoy it. And where I lived, it was nothing like this.” Yulley looked puzzled, and after a bite of fruit Ky added, “But I guess I never really lived there. It was only a dream.”

  “True.” Yulley confirmed.

  “Have you been to any other cities?”

  “Quallia,” Yulley said. “It’s in these mountains. Not far from here.”

  “Oh,” Ky was surprised to learn other cities were close. “How many cities are in this mountain?”

  “Seven.”

  “Really,” Ky said, amazed. The two closest cities she knew of were separated by three days of travel. “Are they like this city? Are they similar?”

  “Yes.”

  Ky took another bite of fruit. Talking to Yulley was difficult. She couldn’t think of anything else to ask. Surv dipped into the large plate to take more fruit. She thought it best to talk to him instead. “How old are you, Surv?” Ky entreated, though she knew the answer.

  “Five,” he said with a full mouth. Okay, he was equally challenging.

  “Wow, you look at least seven,” Ky lied, but that was practically a common greeting for children. He grinned with glowing teeth.