“Kari, I’m not talking about slipping.” She pulled the woman into her arms. “Are you alright?”
Kariken blankly stared at her, limp in her arms. Wet. Shivering in fear and confusion.
“What’s wrong, Kariken?”
“What do you mean, what’s wrong? I thought you were going to drown!”
Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, the Azhi decide to take a step back in the conversation. “I slipped because you thought about Lyrea raping you while I was kissing you. It surprised me. What triggered that?”
She shook her head slowly, and wouldn’t meet the Azhi’s eyes. “I didn’t do it on purpose, okay?” She sounded angry, but the warrior was giving off waves of emotional pain and unease, not anger.
That’s not going to work this time. I know her too well, and our bond is too strong now.
“Kariken…you know you don’t have to kiss me, right? You could tell me to screw off. It wouldn’t be the first time.”
“You didn’t have complete control over my desires then.” She replied with a look of defeat in her eyes. “You want me, so just get me in the mood.”
Anshumali shook her head, her head reeling and her heart aching. “I’m not my sister, Kariken. I’m nothing like her. Even for an Azhi she’s a twisted bitch. Why don’t you believe me? Unless you want me to use that spell, I’m not going to. I haven’t thus far, and I’m not about to start now. It didn’t even come to my mind.”
She peered at me with thoughtful pain, sending out twisting emotions of confusion and hurt. “I – I just, - nobody ever,” She growled as if in anger and splashed out of the creek. “Forget it.”
“Kariken. Stop. Just listen, please.” She didn’t mean to make it a command, but she did. They shared a ripple of pain; Anshumali pushed to stand next to Kariken. “I admit, I have my quirks. Everybody does. I have a temper; I was born of sin, and there is still evil in my soul. I realize I may hurt you – it’s unavoidable with how much time we spend together, and how different we are. But I would defend you to my last breath. I will shed any blood you ask of me. No matter where you wish to go, I will follow you. Let me serve you, Kariken. Kariken…I…I love you.”
Kariken almost feinted when she heard my words. She whipped around to stare at me in utter disbelief. “L-love? Already?”
Anshumali took a deep breath to steady herself. “Yes, Kariken. I love you. As much as I loathe the emotion, as much as I despise with all my being to feel this way, I do. The bond will pull you into the emotion soon as well. But I want to prove to you that I am worthy of that love.”
Kariken choked on her tears a moment. Then she drew in a shaky breath, turned to the wolf and whispered “Prove it, Anshumali. Prove that you’re worthy of my love.”
A tremor pulsed through the wolf from the complex command.
“As you wish.” Anshumali whispered. “I am your knight, Kari. I will do whatever you want, just to gain your love. This I swear.”
Turning away from the black wolf, the Templar limped from the cold waters and dressed. Anshumali followed more slowly.
Such a cruel command to give. Perhaps…perhaps we aren’t so different after all.
~*~
We were halfway to Taiyuan when Redemption slowed to a stop without any command. He snorted, stomping a hoof. Noting his ears were back, I peered around for the problem – and leapt from the steed to sprint to the two forms laying in the long grass and dry, cracked soil.
They were both women, one around my age and the other around seventeen. Both had horrible scars marring their once beautiful bodies. What remained of their clothing was clearly Templar uniform. As I examined them closer, I realized the marks were made from animal claws.
One’s face was unrecognizable, but the other – the other I checked for a pulse.
“She’s still alive!” I shouted in shock as Sanquility rushed to my side.
“I can heal her! Move!” San burst into her wolf form and lay next to the girl. I felt our link shudder, making me sick.
Then I felt the waves and waves of endless energy pulsing into the teen’s body. I watched in awe as her wounds rapidly became scars. She coughed up something bloody before beginning to breathe.
Then her eyes fluttered open. She saw Sanquility change into a human, grabbed her weapon and tried to stand up – then grunted and lay back down.
“Easy, Serena.” I replaced my soul-bound. Her eyes became wide with disbelief.
“M-Miss Leafsong? What are you doing here with an Azhi?”
“Sanquility is my guardian. She healed you.”
Relief filled her gaze. “And Alex? Alex is okay too?”
I fought the tears. “Serena, not even Sanquility can save the dead. You were still alive when we found you.”
“NO!!! She – she was – she –” The girl turned over to scream in terror and pain, falling on her mentor to bawl. “No! Alex!”
I gently pulled the girl off Alex’s mangled body – a strange amulet fell from her hand. Sanquility picked up it and the thing Serena had coughed out.
“This looks familiar.”
“I-it was around the Sphinxs’ necks.”
We starred at her dumbly. “What? Sphinx attacked you guys too?”
“Ten of them, out of nowhere. We were investigating a refugee’s complaints that there were dangerous animals on the road. We – we thought it was just a wolf pack, or maybe lions. T-the – the temple made it sound so routine. Alex…oh, Alex.”
I gently guided her to Redemption, helping up and handing her Alex. I let her hold her dead mentor in her arms. San examined the amulet as Redemption walked next to us. I recorded the death and drew the amulet in my journal, marking down that Serena had nearly joined her mentor’s fate and the mystery of the rogue Sphinx.
“They’re the same.” Sanquility told me quietly.
“What?”
“The amulets. They’re the same as the one on the Gryphon and the sphinx that attacked us.
Serena called very quiet “Xia?”
“Yes?” I was careful to answer gently and turn to meet her eyes.
“Alex was wrong about you. You’re not blood thirsty.”
Sanquility gasped at the comment; her jaw fell lose.
“Shocked that somebody would counter your statement?”
She didn’t answer as I replied very quietly. “Thank you, Serena. I’ll get her home, and I’ll kill every damn Sphinx I come across the rest of my life.”
“Thank you. For saving me, and for trying to avenge her. She would never have believed it.”
//If she was on caravan duties, didn’t you two work together a lot? //
“Not if she could help it.”
//Why? //
“Because as far as she saw it, I was a cold, blood thirsty bitch rearing for a fight. You know, it’s funny…you’re so surprised about this…but you think it yourself.”
The rest of the way there was silence, because Serena soon fell asleep and Sanquility didn’t say another word.
Chapter Eight
Remember
The guard opened the gates without questioning us, which was a huge relief. Redemption walked at a slow pace with his head below his shoulders as people stepped aside to bow their heads or salute with pain in their eyes. Several people hid their children’s eyes. For the first time in years, we had no trouble reaching the temple doors.
//There’s already something going on inside. I’ll go in first. //
“No. You might stir things up worse.” Turning to Serena, I gently coaxed Alex from her grasp, waking her up. She saw where we were and got down. When she went to take Alex, I hesitated.
“Please,”
With a sigh, I handed her over. “Let me go in first, okay? San says something’s already going on inside.”
Sanquility collected the amulets, belted my sword across my back and let me lead the way within. The only sound was the temple doors opening. All eyes were on us; there were no worshipers and the staff – inc
luding Fay – had gathered around the Maya’den alter already.
Serena laid Alex down next to another body, who already lay there as a crisp, twisted husk.
“What happened?” I gasped as Serena fell to her knees, rubbing her mentor’s hair.
I can’t take this.
I pulled her away and gently said “I’ll call you when they burn Alex. Go upstairs and sleep a while.”
A young man with a go-tee and an honest face came forward. He was in Templar apprentice clothing. “How about we take the other apprentices to train?”
Oh gods, it was Samuel.
//I’ve not met him yet. Where’s he been? //
“He was stationed to patrols. He was an escort for noble and Temple higher ups, so he wasn’t around much. But…he was always the first to defend me, and…he was such a good guy….”
“That sounds…good, Vince.” Serena whispered before numbly letting him guide her away, followed by the other apprentices.
Fay starred at the bodies, tears flowing with open sorrow. I grabbed her hand to pull her close and hold her tightly. The priest was pale as parchment as he gazed at the two dead in horror.
“What happened?” Sanquility repeated to the priest.
He shook his head as if to clear it. “A dragon attacked the temple. Samuel distracted it long enough for Daniel and Vince to kill it with magicked arrows. It was...it was – horrible.”
“What happened to Alex?” Fay asked, sounding empty and numb.
I handed the priest the amulets; he examined them with great interest. “Serena says they were attacked by Sphinx that wore these. Sanquility and I were as well; the amulets make the poison toxic to humans and far more effective on Azhi. One of those amulets was found on the Gryphon we fought. One was found on Alex’s body and the other Serena literally coughed out bloody. We barely found Serena in time.”
Sanquility’s entire body tensed.
//I smell black magic. //
My eyes traced the faces around us, but all of them were familiar.
“I know everybody here. None of them would use black magic.”
//Maybe it’s outside the temple, then. It’s close, and it’s evil; I can feel it. //
The priest finally spoke in a quiet, shaky voice. “We’ll preform the ceremony once Anna arrives. She’ll want to see her husband and best friend’s funeral.”
Fay leaned completely into me to cry into my chest; it occurred to me that there were others missing. “Where are Sybel, Ryeger, Tess and Veeri?” I inquired as I absently stroked Fay’s hair and tapped fingers on my hip.
“Right here.” Veeri’s voice made us all jump. She was in decent health, allowing me to breathe a sigh of relief. Tess followed her in. “What’s going on?”
Behind them were a man and woman dressed in the same Templar attire. I was dizzy with relief to see they were – for the most part – unscathed. “Where are our apprentices?” The woman asked anxiously.
Before I could answer, they saw the bodies. “Alex?” Tess’s voice was high; a shrill, painful sound like keening. “By the gods…”
Veeri’s face became red. She whirled on Sanquility and me. “What did you do to Alex? Where’s Serena?!”
Sybel shoved her several feet back. “Stay out of her face.” Sybel spat as I shouted, “I carried her back, so she wouldn’t rot in the gods-forsaken sun! Serena and Vince are outside with the apprentices! As you can see, Samuel was burned alive!”
Sanquility pointed at the body. “No human or wolf can do this. It was a group of Mountain Sphinx. Look at the claw marks.”
“You can’t be serious!” Veeri growled as the four of them gathered around. Tess fell to her knees; Veeri put a hand on her shoulder as if to keep her strong. It seemed a very professional gesture for a guardian, but I couldn’t recall the two ever being very close.
Sybel seized Ryeger’s hand and squeezed until their fingers turned white. I could see the terror and horror in her eyes.
“Why would a priest’s guard kill a Templar?” Sybel demanded hoarsely.
I shook my head. “Why would one attack Sanquility and me? Somebody’s charming and summoning animals. We’ve found amulets on all the cursed beasts that challenged us.”
He gave a brisk nod. “We’ll deal with this mystery later; let’s do this one step at a time. After the cremation, we have to instate Vince and Serena as Templars; they’re old enough, and would have become Templars in a couple months. In the meantime, will you preserve the bodies until Teresa and Anna return in a few days Sanquility?”
She nodded solemnly. Then the Azhi took a deep breath and let out a stream of white, frosty air. It encased Alex and Anna’s body in ice. “It’ll stay cold until Alex burns and the prayer is sent.”
“I didn’t know you could use ice magic.”
//…All Azhi can use that magic. It’s only used to preserve a body. //
“Oh. So it’s not for battle.”
//Nope. //
He nodded his thanks. “Your pay.”
I waved it to Fay. She received the coin purse from the priest.
“Will you stay here tonight, Xia?” Fay begged.
//Evil lingers. //
“Sure.” I replied gently, giving her cheeks a kiss. “Let’s go get something to eat, huh? You’re almost eighteen, so we’ll make a day of it. I’ll show you my Unicorn friend and we’ll get some roasted Gulbus.”
San perked her black ears. “Did you say Gulbus?”
“Yeah. It’s-” We looked at her strangely.
“A fish; I know. I’ve had it.”
I grunted. “Really? It’s impossible to find in these cold waters.”
“But not in the Outlands. It’s a survival food.”
My heart skipped several beats. “You’ve been to my homeland? Is that how you read the Runes?”
Sanquility’s eyes filled with understanding. “Yes, I’ve been there. I was there with my mother when I was about Xia’s age. How in Lisken’s name did you two get here?”
I shook my head. “I’ll tell you later. Today isn’t the day. Common. Let’s go cheer Fay up, San.”
The three of us turned to leave. Fay gave my mate a strange look. “Um…San…how do you know the name of the Raven god?”
“The god of twilight?” San’s ear twitched. “Are you kidding? I grew up on the stories. We know –”
Sybel held up her rough, callused hand. “Hold fast, Xia. I need to talk to you.” She glanced at Sanquility. “And this…San.”
“Sybel?” I stared at her blankly; my heart beat a little faster at the sight of her.
“Just a moment, if you would. Fay, why don’t you go look outside? There’s a beautiful unicorn. I think the gods have found your sister favorable.”
Whatever.
//Hey, she’s a Templar, isn’t she? //
“So am I.”
//I’m relieved not all Templars have such little faith. //
“I have plenty of faith; just not in the gods.”
//What do you have faith in, then? //
“Our skills, our weapons, Redemption,”
//Is that really faith? //
“Faith isn’t the same as religion. It’s simply strong belief, and I have a strong belief in that which I can rely on.”
Fay gave her a look; Sybel nodded meaningfully as I took Sybel into full view. She was thin and wiry with short hair the color of fire. Her eyes were a deep ocean blue so full of knowing it still amazed me, though they were more thoughtful and grave. A long, thin but jagged scar ran from above her left eye to just under her chin, marring her otherwise beautiful golden skin. A scimitar was strapped to her waist.
“Fay, whoa, where are you going?” I grabbed her arm when she turned to leave.
“Outside.” She stated with an almost innocent look.
I raised a single eyebrow. “Alone?”
She rolled her eyes. “You always go out without a guard at your back! I’ll only be right outside the temple doors!”
�
��A dragon just attacked the temple.” I snapped angrily. “I’m trained to fight. You’re trained to pray. Do you see the difference?”
“But-”
“I’ll go out with you, Fay.” Ryeger put an end to the argument.
She snapped her mouth shut, whirled around and stomped outside with Ryeger right after her, shaking his head. “Damn she’s got a temper for a little lady,” He muttered on his way to catch up.
The two walked out, talking in hushed tones. Sybel glanced Sanquility over. “The Black Wolf, Lyrea’s twin. I never thought you’d repent. How many times have I gone to Whitestone to find you?”
San gave a slight smile. “Six times, and I souled with Xia soul to soul, so I’ve technically not repented. Please, call me Sanquility or San; I’ve given up being up being the Black Wolf considerably since the bond was forged.”
It was a completely unexpected smile, but every muscle in my body relaxed when my fellow warrior did. She even clasped hands with the Azhi in greeting. “It’s an honor to have you, then. Thank you for saving my friend and comrade’s life. I wouldn’t know what we’d do without her.”
San relaxed a little too as she hesitantly accepted the headshake I had never grown used to.
I glanced at the door anxiously. “What’s this you have to say? I need to be with Fay right now. She takes things like this hard.”
“Can’t you see something big is going down?” Sybel sounded more than frustrated.
I blinked at her vehemence. She always had a reason to be angry with me.
What’d I do?
“Does it have something to do with the amulets?” Sanquility asked in my place.
“I could only assume. But I don’t think it’s the priest’s priority right now.” She glanced back at the pudgy man as he prayed over the bodies.
Is he doing that because people are watching…or because he took such good care of Alex?
//Such bitterness. //
“He’s a pig. I don’t know how anybody could get close to that thing.”
//Does he even believe the words he recites? //
“Do I?”
“So why don’t you and Ryeger look into the amulets?” I shifted to lean on the unscarred leg; even after Sanquility’s healing, it still ached occasionally.
Guardian Page 13