Irate, Ava squawked and settled on the branch of a nearby bush.
"Get off me.” Dale spat moss and dirt from her mouth, and pushed against Raf. “What on Earth are you doing?"
Raf sat up, pulling her with him. “Ava's talons would have shredded your arm. She does not always realize the danger she poses, but you should have more sense."
Dale shuddered. Raf was right. Ava's inch long talons were lethal. “Thanks.” The feel of him pressing her into the soft, moss-covered ground brought a rush of memories. The hot look in Raf's eyes told her he remembered also. Suddenly conscious of her nakedness, she stood and grabbed up her robe. The damp material didn't cool the heat flooding her body at Raf's hot gaze.
"Here.” Raf thrust some clothing into her hands.
"Where did you get this stuff?” she asked as she quickly donned the shirt, pants and sandals he'd given her. The clothing, though old, seemed clean and sturdy. Dressed, she felt less vulnerable to her feelings for Raf and more capable of finding Thea.
She looked up at him. He wore a faded shirt and cloak, and a sword hung in a sheath at his waist along with two daggers.
"We are not far from Devros’ stronghold.” Raf crouched by the fire and stirred the embers. “The tunnel turns back on itself through the mountain. The castle is just beyond that ridge."
"You went back there?” Her heart twisted at the thought. “What if you'd been caught?"
"There was little chance of that. I am not called Shadow without reason. But I did not know it was there. I merely scouted the area.” His cocky male grin made him look like a mischievous little boy.
"And the clothing?"
His grin vanished, replaced by a dark scowl. “The owners will no longer need them. The compound is in chaos. An explosion triggered the ground shakes."
"T'Nar."
"Who?"
"A young Shakar boy. The night before last, he sneaked into the castle. I think he's T'Mal's son. The Shakar must have set off the explosion as a diversion. I don't know how or why, but Thea is with them. I have to find her."
"We will find her.” He covered her hand with his own.
His touch warmed her, and his words comforted her. Together they would find Thea.
"Little is left of the castle,” he continued. “The walls have all crumbled."
"The captives? Were they hurt?” She remembered her brief glimpse of them, as Tulan carried her inside the castle. They'd been corralled like animals in pens in the castle courtyard.
"They are bruised and battered, but none seriously.” Raf's tone hardened. “The slavers inside the castle were not so fortunate. Many were killed when the walls crumbled on top of them. Others are badly injured. Of Devros’ men, only the ten outside guards are still fit."
"Devros?"
Raf shook his head. “He is uninjured."
"Tulan?"
Raf shot her a sharp look. “You are concerned for the Belanite's safety?"
"No. Yes. I don't know.” She wasn't sure just what her feelings for the Belanite were. “He was kind."
Raf snorted. “I do not think you would like a lifetime of Belanite kindness. He and his son are unharmed. But, while caring for the injured, the Belanite healer was killed during the second shake.” Raf finished dousing the fire and stood. “If I am to stop Devros and rescue the captives, I must hurry. The ground shakes threaten to close the pass through the mountains. Devros’ is preparing to leave with the captives. If they are taken through the pass they will be forever lost."
A sharp squawk drew their attention to Ava. Wings flapping, the bird perched precariously on a slender branch of a nearby bush.
"Ava."
At Raf's call, she hopped to the ground and stalked over to Dale's side.
"It appears she's still mad at you.” Chuckling, Dale stroked the bird's ruffled feathers.
"Fickle female,” Raf muttered.
"Raf, there's something attached to her leg.” Dale slipped off the tightly wound piece of parchment and handed it to Raf.
A smile curled his lips as he silently read the missive.
"Well, what does it say?"
Raf looked up. “Ava fulfilled her purpose on this mission. When you disappeared she took word to my contacts in Dramon. King Timon is sending in troops."
"And just how did she tell your contacts where we are?"
"High Minister Cathor's lifemate, Sianna is highly empathic. She is able to sense Ava's emotions and thoughts."
"But if Ava left when I disappeared, how could she know this place?"
"I do not know for sure. Perhaps the high minister has also thought of his former castle. If he sends word he is coming, I have no doubt he will arrive."
"But will he be here in time to save the captives?"
"I will make sure he has the time. When I return, we will search for your daughter.” He handed her one of the daggers.
She stuck the knife into her waistband, placed her hands on her hips, and faced him. “I'm going with you."
"No. A battlefield is not a safe place for you ... or our son. Devros is my brother. I must bring him to justice for his crimes."
Fear and frustration stiffened her resolve. “With or without your permission, I'm coming along. I quit waiting when Steven died. What if you don't come back?"
Either Raf was oblivious or he chose to ignore her.
"If I do not return by nightfall, wait until morning, then let Ava lead you down the mountain to Dolan's farm. He will take you to High Minister Cathor, who will see you safely to Prince Ash. Once there, Zard Akester will know how to send you home. Take this as well."
Dale stared at the small shard of milky crystal Raf slipped into her hand. Warmed by his body heat, the crystal burned away her last hope that they might find a way to be together.
Chapter Sixteen
At a branch's sharp crack, Raf thrust Dale behind him and pulled his sword. Something burst out of the bushes. Before he could stop her, Dale rushed forward.
"Thea!"
"Mom!"
Laughing, crying and talking, oblivious to the world around them, the two came together.
Ava, disturbed by the young woman's sudden presence, took to the air and circled, cawing her displeasure.
Despite the yellow tinge to her skin and eyes—evidence of her illness—this younger version of Dale took Raf's breath away. Her well-worn clothing—a simple white shirt and faded blue pants—hugged a slender but rounded figure. Long, moon-blond hair cascaded like crystal silk over the rise of her breasts to her slim hips.
As Raf started to sheath his sword, he became aware of the Shakar behind him. He turned.
"T'Mal."
"Shadow."
A young Shakar stood at T'Mal's side. Though Raf couldn't see them he could sense the presence of more Shakar. He looked around and then lifted an eyebrow in question.
"Sheath your sword, human. We are here to assist you,” T'Mal said. “You and your mate risked your lives to rescue T'ala and me and because of a human child's bravery my saar, my son T'Nar is restored to me.” He nodded at the Shakar child standing at his side. His voice grew husky. “R'Ken told me of T'Sela. Thank you for your efforts. The Shakar have ignored the slavers and the evil they do in our mountains for too long. It is time they were stopped. Whether human or Shakar, no man should own another."
"We welcome your help. How many men do you have?"
"Six. The raids on our villages have been devastating."
And apparently not all the Shakar were as willing as T'Mal to risk their lives meddling in what they considered human affairs. “That gives us eight to their twenty or so, of which, ten are uninjured by the ground shake."
"What of the captives? There must be thirty men and another twenty women and children. Can they not help?"
"The men have been kept drugged. When I was in the compound, I learned that the sedative was destroyed when the castle collapsed. The captives were growing agitated, and there is no longer a guard. Ulger died without a whimper.
I opened the gate, but we cannot count on their assistance. The women are controlled by the Belanites."
T'Mal's hackles bristled. “Belanites,” he spat. “Furless, womanless blue aberrations. They will rue the day they dared trespass on Shakar territory."
"Raf, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Theadora,” Dale interrupted.
Raf turned.
"My friends call me Thea.” Thea held out her hand and smiled at him. “Mom's told me how you've helped her. I hope we'll be friends."
Though as tall as her mother, Thea was yet a child hovering on the brink of womanhood. Filled with an innocent intelligence, her eyes reflected the blue of the surrounding mountains and met his gaze without flinching. Her inner beauty glowed through the aura of illness hovering over her. And like her mother, her strength of will charmed and frightened him. It would take an exceptional man to claim this woman.
Raf lifted the girl's slender fingers and gripped the hilt of his sword with his other hand. He inclined his head over her hand. “You do me honor. My sword is ever at your call, my lady."
Her sudden giggle and blush revealed her youth.
Raf hid his answering smile and turned his attention back to T'Mal and the other Shakar.
"Devros is planning to move the captives through the pass before nightfall. King Timon of Dramon is sending troops, but I do not know when they will arrive. We must find a way to delay Devros. Have you a plan?"
T'Mal grinned and pulled a bag from his pack. “Perhaps we can prevent him from ever leaving. Our T'ea is quite resourceful."
"What is this substance?” Puzzled, Raf looked at the gritty, black powder inside the bag.
"It's Tareth's version of gunpowder.” Thea took the bag from T'Mal. He stepped away to talk with his men.
"Thea!” Dale sounded shocked.
"Gunpowder? What does it do?” Raf asked. Dale had spoken of her husband being killed by a powerful weapon called a gun. Did gunpowder power this weapon? What other wonders did Dale's world have?
"It causes death and destruction.” Dale stared in horror at her daughter. “You know how I feel about guns. Just because you know how to do something, doesn't mean you should."
Thea's smile faded. “Aw, Mom.” At that moment she sounded very young and unsure. Then her voice grew firm. “I didn't build a gun. We needed something to create a diversion in the castle. It was just a small explosion."
At that moment, Raf saw Dale reflected in Thea's stubborn expression.
"That explosion set off the ground tremors. We were almost buried alive. Worse, you could have been hurt or killed.” Dale shuddered at the thought of how close she might have come to losing her daughter.
"I know what I'm doing,” Thea insisted. “Now we can use it to close off the pass."
"Thea, this isn't our fight. We need to get home. How long has it been since your last treatment?"
"Your mother is right. Leave now,” Raf said.
His easy acceptance of her leaving sent a pain through her heart.
"I'm fine, Mom. There's time and, well, other things.” Thea hesitated and looked at T'Nar standing with his father. “We can't leave here without helping these people. You know it's the right thing to do."
How wise Thea sounded. Dale fought an inner battle with her need to protect her daughter and her desire to help Raf free Devros’ slaves.
Raf stood silent, his face an impassive mask.
Finally she sighed and asked, “Who's going to set the charges?"
"I will."
"No. It's too dangerous. Show someone else how to do it."
"I don't think that's a good idea, Mom.” Thea's voice dropped to a near whisper. “It's bad enough I've introduced gunpowder to this world. But when I saw you with those men, I was desperate. So far I'm the only one who knows how to make it or how it works."
"You can show me how to set the charges."
"No!” Raf shouted.
Dale and Thea jumped.
As if in answer, the ground groaned and rumbled. Overhead churning gray clouds now darkened the sky.
The ground bucked and heaved like an angry bull determined to toss them. Dale struggled to keep her balance and her hold on Thea. Raf started toward them. From above, Ava's piercing calls added to the confusion.
"Look out!” T'Nar yelled and lurched across the rippling ground.
Dale looked up and gasped. A large boulder tumbled down the mountainside.
Before Raf could reach them, T'Nar shoved Thea out of the path of the boulder. The ground heaved beneath their feet. Dale and T'Nar stumbled in the other direction into Raf. He caught them as they fell. Their weight carried him down as well. Wrapping them in his arms, he cushioned their fall with his body.
Seconds later the boulder crashed into the pool. Water erupted into the air. A shower of heated water rained on them along with an avalanche of small rocks and dirt. Then the world settled back to stillness. The exposed skin on Dale's arms and face grew red, but didn't blister. She flinched as Raf took her arm and helped her to her feet. T'Mal assisted T'Nar.
Coughing, Dale peered through a cloud of hissing steam. Gone was the idyllic spot where she and Raf had made love so sweetly.
Buried under a mountain of rock and dirt, the waterfall no longer cascaded over the tunnel entrance. Hot water wilted the flowering bushes and turned the moss-covered ground to a sticky sludge of muddy vegetation. Spraying from beneath the boulder, a thick stream of scalding water cut them off from Thea.
"Thea! Are you okay?” Dale called.
"I'm fine.” Thea waved to them from the far side of the now capped pool.
"You're burned,” Raf touched a reddened patch on Dale's exposed skin.
"Just slightly."
"I'm going to climb over the boulder.” Thea said.
Dale could just make out Thea starting toward them.
"No!” T'Mal shouted. “It is too dangerous."
"Take the trail behind you,” Raf said. “It leads back to the castle. We will meet you there. Be careful."
Dale rounded on Raf. “She can't go there. What if Devros or his men see her?"
"There is no choice. She cannot come to us and we cannot reach her. We have to get out of here. The pressure is building. The hot spring is about to geyser."
Ava dived toward them. With a sharp shriek of warning she landed on Raf's shoulder. He staggered slightly at her weight, and then accepted the bird's return to his side.
Below their feet the ground rocked. “But...."
"Come. It is not safe here.” Raf took her arm and steered her away.
Dale hesitated, but Thea had already disappeared. Fear hurried her steps. She wouldn't lose her daughter again.
The ground continued to shake and roll as they made their way over the ridge to the castle. Rocks tumbled down the mountainside, which shifted treacherously beneath their feet. As much as she longed to run, Dale knew they had to proceed cautiously. A single misstep would send them to their death.
Aside from the crunch of falling rock and the grumble of the angry ground, there was little sound. No birds sang or insects chirped. They held their breath, waiting, hoping the mountain's anger would fade and it would settle back into slumber. Ominous dark clouds churned overhead, ready to weep wrathful tears.
At times in the growing gloom, Dale lost sight of the Shakar. Agile and used to their mountain home they had less difficulty navigating the rocky mountainside.
Since they had left the spring, Raf avoided her. He ranged ahead, marking the trail for them to follow, leaving her in T'Mal's care. The sight of Ava circling above marked his general location.
Though she knew it was for the best—soon they would part—her heart cried out to spend whatever last moments they could together. Loving a warrior was painful. She thought she'd learned that lesson years ago, but Raf had stormed the carefully constructed walls around her heart and taken it captive. No matter which world she lived in, her heart would forever be his.
Tears blurred her vision.
She stumbled. Only T'Mal's hand on her elbow kept her from falling to her knees.
"Thanks."
"Do not worry. Our saara, daughter, is safe. T'Nar would know if she were in any danger."
Dale stared at T'Mal. In the few minutes she'd had with Thea, Dale had sensed a difference about her. “Why do you call Thea your daughter?"
Incredulous, Dale listened as T'Mal briefly explained the unusual dual childhood of Shakar children.
"To save his life, T'ea accepted T'Nar's female spirit into herself. In doing so she became his hapala, his sister, and my saara.” T'Mal still gripped her arm. He turned her to him and lifted her chin with his knuckles. The soft fur on his fingers felt like velvet against her skin. “As the mother of my child you are now of my clan. You are ever welcome at my hearth fire."
"I'm honored, T'Mal. I will always remember the Shakar with affection and respect."
A puzzled look crossed T'Mal's face. “You are leaving?"
"Thea and I must return home."
"No.” The thick mane around his face fluttered in the growing wind. “It is not possible. T'ea cannot be separated from T'Nar. They are bonded. Apart they will wither and die. Until the time she and T'Nar mature and choose lifemates, she must stay with the Shakar."
"But we have to go back to Ear ... home. We can't stay here."
"Why not?"
"Thea is very ill. To live she needs an operation. One I doubt could be performed here. If we stay here, she'll die. And now you tell me that if we leave here, she'll die.” She put her hand into her pocket and gripped the crystal shard. A tingle of electricity surged up her arm. Soon, the storm brewing overhead would provide a conduit home. She let the crystal slip out of her fingers and leaned into T'Mal's gentle embrace. “What should I do?"
"Have faith. Perhaps there is another way. The bond between Shakar litter mates is often miraculous."
"Can it cure Thea illness?” Dale stomped hard on the flicker of hope T'Mal's words lit inside her. She'd been disappointed too many times.
"I don't know."
"The castle is just over that rise."
Raf's voice made her try and jerk away from T'Mal. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and turned her toward Raf. She met Raf's stormy glare. Warmth crept up her neck and into her cheeks.
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