by Terry Spear
“Don’t go to sleep, Eloria!” Viator commanded as he tossed the rope to her.
As if she had any intention of going to sleep as she clung to the rock, fighting the pull of the icy river.
The rope tickled her cheek. Her thoughts jumbled as if in a dream. She was trying as hard as she could to imagine a fire glowing hot, a blanket wrapped around her, the heat of the desert, but all she could think of was ice-cold snow, sleeting rain mixed with snow covering her as she trekked across a mountain pass in Gambia.
She tried to think of Persephonice and how she just had to see her one last time. Of how she had to tell her how proud she was that she’d taken the shadow elf for her lifemate. She hoped she was happy with him. That she hadn’t been forced to be with him.
“Eloria! Grab the rope!”
Viator. He wouldn’t take her to see her friend. She would never see her again.
“Eloria!”
She would no longer be Viator’s hostage either. Persephonice’s father would leave her here to perish.
The rope raked across her hair as it flowed with the current.
“Eloria! The rope… grab the rope!”
The water felt warmer now. She took a deep breath, her arms strained. She wanted to let go.
She halfway opened her eyes and watched Viator pull the rope through the water.
Sleep, Eloria, and you can think on it tomorrow.
“I could hear you from miles away,” another male voice said on the shore. “What in the world is that?”
“A girl like Persephonice. Not from here. Her friend. I cannot reach her. She has been affected by the cold.”
“Why would she be swimming in the cold river? She swims? Like I’ve heard Persephonice does.”
“She swam enough to reach the rock.”
“She sleeps?”
“She is possessed by the frigid waters,” Viator said, frantic.
“What will I get if I rescue her?”
“My undying gratitude. Just get her, Balen!”
“Very well. I will do this. But if I get my wings wet, you will never hear the end of this.”
The flutter of wings beat over Eloria to her annoyance. Warm hands grabbed under her arms and attempted to wrench her from her safe perch. “No,” she said under her breath. Sleep is all she wanted. Let me sleep.
“Let go of the rock, woman.” Balen groaned with the effort.
“Eloria! Let go of the rock!” Viator yelled.
“Prince Viator commands it!” Balen flapped his wings in a desperate attempt to extricate her from the rock. “Let go, woman!”
“Eloria, come to me! I need your help! I think I’m going to die!” He shrugged at Balen who raised his brows at him. “Help me, Eloria!”
“Viator?” Eloria lifted her head from the rock. “Viator?”
Balen pulled her free from the stone and flew her to the riverbank. Viator yanked a cloak from his bag. He quickly wrapped her in it and then Balen lay her on the ground. “Where did she come from?” Balen flapped his wings. “They’re wet. I won’t be able to fly for close to three hours now.”
“Good, you can keep us company. Mine are soaking wet too.” Viator studied her expressionless face. “Eloria?” She stared back at him, uncomprehending, then shivered and closed her eyes.
Balen shook his wings again showering them with droplets of water. “If I could have flown, I could have taken you home.”
“You couldn’t have managed both of us.” Somehow Viator had to get her to safety and if he didn’t hurry, they’d be in a lot more trouble soon.
“Well, you’re right. Not both of you. She doesn’t belong here.” Balen touched a wet red curl.
“I’m not leaving her alone, Balen. She’s my hostage. Fried griffin feathers, she needs me. Call a dragon.”
“I haven’t come of age yet. I can’t call a dragon. You know that.”
Sure Viator knew that, but he was so rattled over Eloria’s condition he wasn’t thinking straight. He studied Balen’s wings. “Your wings are more transparent.” He frowned. “Why haven’t my wings changed further?”
“Uh, I hate to tell you this, but if you recall from our lessons on the subject, if you have strong feelings of attachment for someone, should you help them in their time of need, it doesn’t count. You can only get credit if it is done for someone you don’t have any feelings for. An unknown person, or one you despise…it matters not.” Balen examined his wings. “I didn’t know the human girl. Therefore, my rescuing her enabled me to earn a credit.”
“A whole credit.” Viator rubbed Eloria’s cold hands. “And she’s unknown to me. She’s a hostage, nothing more.”
“You didn’t rescue her.”
“Start a fire.” Viator commanded, irritated.
Balen studied Viator's wings. "You've been cut."
"Lars. Balen, the fire?"
Hunting the boar was one of the duties Viator had to accomplish on his own, but bringing in the cold, wet treasure on the beach should have been enough to make his wings completely invisible. She didn’t appear to care for his beautiful wings, translucent in color of purples, blues, greens, and bordered in shimmering gold. They attracted more females of his kind, but he would be glad when he could make them transparent. Something that would happen once he accomplished ten great feats, none of which he was privy to. He would discover what they were, one by one. And today on his hunt, he was certain that taking her hostage would be his greatest feat.
“Shouldn’t we return to the castle?” Balen asked.
“We need to get her warm and dry.”
Balen rubbed his whiskerless chin. “Why do you have strong feelings for this human, sire? Such a thing will surely be frowned on by your father.”
“I don’t have feelings for her. You were right in that I didn’t do anything to save her. Except I pulled her from the water the first time.” He cursed again, annoyed that he hadn’t gotten any credit for saving her the first time. He wondered how she had managed to fall all the distance from the top of the cliffs to the rocky shore below and not be injured. By the time he’d reached the cliff’s edge, she had been lying on the shore, and he’d been afraid she was dead. Not because he felt anything for her, but she could be valuable to them. And could help make his wings transparent. He looked up at Balen, who furrowed his brow at him. “Get a fire started, Balen!”
“Sendal won’t be happy about this.”
“I’m not marrying the girl. I’m only trying to ensure she’s warm and dry!” Viator wasn’t happy he’d have to marry Lady Sendal, Balen’s twin sister. She wasn’t fun to be with, and they argued about everything. The fact Sendal was also a winged elf of royalty mattered not to him.
“Uh-huh.” Balen gathered wood for the fire.
Eloria stirred and opened her eyes.
“Eloria?” Viator pulled a blanket from his pack. He wrapped it around her, then stuck his bag under her cheek to serve as a pillow.
She took a deep breath. “Sleep is all I need,” she whispered.
Balen piled the branches on the ground. “You know a fire will alert others we’re in the area.”
Viator nodded.
“Two winged elves that cannot fly and one cold, wet…sleepy girl will be easy prey.”
“Just start the fire.”
Balen pulled a wand from his pack and flicked it at the wood. A tiny curl of smoke rose, then a small flame tickled the branches.
“What are you going to do with her?” Balen asked.
“Take her to our home…first. I have to heal my wings before I can fly her home. River elves have poisoned our water. I must find a way to cleanse the water, and stop the elves from doing it again.”
“I’ll help you.”
“If I keep getting others to aid me in my quests, I will never have transparent wings.”
Balen smiled wickedly. “It appears I’m a half a credit ahead of you, and I only just started today. Now let’s see, you have been at this how long?”
�
�Since earlier today, but I was distracted.”
“By?”
Viator’s gaze drifted to Eloria’s red hair. “She is my mission. To get her back to the castle.”
Balen laughed. “I’ll get more firewood. Sendal will throw a fit. You know all she thinks of is when the two of you will wed. She has never considered marrying anyone else. And being that she is my sister, I have seen her throw some of the worst sort of tantrums nobody should ever have to witness.”
“I know.” Viator rubbed Eloria’s hand. “Eloria.”
A deep-throated growl from the canyon upstream made Viator jump to his feet.
“Two, three, maybe more?” Balen pulled his sword from its sheath.
“Red devil wolves.” The red shrubs nearly hid the menace several yards away. Viator turned to Balen and said, “Do you have your bow?”
“I always have my bow with me. Always.” Balen sheathed his sword, then pulled the bow from his pack and snapped it into shape. “Where is yours, Your Majesty?”
“In my bag as yours was. It would be better for us to use arrows on the wolves.” Viator slipped the bow out of his pack carefully so as not to disturb Eloria’s pillow. After readying the bow for use, he hurriedly placed two arrows on the string. He pulled it taut as he closed one eye and steadied his breathing. “I have the two on the left, shoulder to shoulder.”
“I have the other.”
“Now!” Viator shouted.
The wolves lunged and the elves let loose their arrows. The animals collapsed on the ground without a whimper.
“There’ll be more.” Balen retrieved their arrows.
Eloria rolled onto her side.
“Eloria.” Viator hurried to join her. Kneeling before her, he took her hand and warmed it with his own.
The music from the meadowlands began again, and Viator grabbed the bread roll from his bag.
“You think she’s hungry?” Balen asked, sounded astounded as he crouched beside them.
“The fairies lured her into the water. Of course, they only wished for her to join them in the meadows at the top of the cliffs on the other side of the river. They didn’t realize they would have drowned her in the process.”
“Why doesn’t she just block their—”
Eloria tried to stand, but Viator grabbed her arm and shook his head. “You stay seated here for the moment.” He tore the roll apart, then hurried to stuff the soft cooked dough into her ears.
She stared at him for a second, then frowned to see her clothes soaking wet. “What happened?”
“Seems the meadowland fairies have quite a pull on you.”
“What?”
“Their music…they lure the unsuspecting. For days, even our own elves have been caught up in their chant. Then when the fairies tire of their new-found friends, they release them. Most of us have been trained to fight their influence, but some aren’t able to, even so.”
Eloria touched her ears. “You will have to speak up. I can barely hear you.”
Viator smiled. “That is fine as long as you cannot hear the fairies.”
Eloria looked over at Balen. His blond hair was darker than Viator’s and his blue eyes, paler. She studied his wings. In a showy male display, he rose to his feet, then spread his wings wide and flapped them twice. She smiled and then shivered. “Nice wings. I’ve never seen anyone with them before. I thought Viator was a fairy.”
Viator snorted.
“Well,” Balen said, as he knelt beside Eloria, “she’s a pretty intelligent woman after all.”
Viator frowned at him to see the interest he showed in Eloria. “She is not of royal blood. And not a winged elf like us.”
“Not of royal blood?” Balen’s brow furrowed. “But you… well, you…” He turned his head in the direction of the castle nestled on top of the mountain peaks surrounded by Darkland Forest. “The king will be furious to learn of this.”
“What? The dark elves threw her from the cliffs. I rescued her…that is all. She cannot stay here all alone to fend for herself. She is my hostage and will be a gift to my father.”
Balen looked at the green crystal glowing on the gold chain hanging around Eloria’s neck. “There is more to this than you say. The king will be peeved.” He took a deep breath. “And worse than that, Sendal will be a terror.”
Eloria squeezed the water from her hair. “You have not introduced me to your friend, Viator.”
“She’s a commoner and calls you by your name without using your title?”
Viator watched Eloria as she listened to them, straining to hear their muffled words. “Eloria, this is Lord...” He turned to Balen. “What do you mean there is more to this than I say? I say what I mean. There is nothing more to it than that.”
Balen took a deep breath as he observed the emerald shining brightly on its rose-gold chain. “My mother told me once that a strange girl would conquer our kingdom. We would know her when we saw the glowing stone she wore around her neck. I would say this girl might qualify, sire. Would you not agree?”
“I’ve never heard such a tale. Certainly, our soothsayer has never said such a thing.”
“Perhaps my mother was wrong. Perhaps. But my mother is rarely wrong. In fact, never, that I can recall.”
Eloria stared up at the meadowlands.
“You cannot still hear them, can you?” Viator asked, concerned.
“What?” She turned to face him.
He let out his breath with relief. “This is Lord Balen, son of Duke Corson, advisor to my father.”
Eloria bowed her head to Balen in greeting. “Balen,” she said, nodding her head in recognition. “For strong and healthy.”
Viator laughed and shook his head. “Balen means brave. Baline means strong and healthy.”
Balen studied Eloria. “Well, that red hair of hers is really something. She doesn’t know the ancient language though?”
“Sure I do.” Eloria shook her garments. “Miss a word or two, now and then, is all.”
“Do you think you can walk?” Viator helped her to stand.
“My legs are uninjured.” She pulled the cloak tighter.
Balen frowned at her clothes. “Why does this female wear such things?” He pointed at her pants. “Do they not wear gowns?”
Viator hurried to snuff out the fire. “With traveling, she is wearing what she needs to.”
“How did you…find her?” Balen grabbed up Viator’s pack for him.
“Prince Zorak had her in hand. I couldn’t let him have her.”
“Now you’ve started a war with the high elves?” Balen shook his head.
Viator grabbed Eloria’s arm and led her over the pebble beach. The notion rankled him. “They have no claim to her. She’s mine. As a gift to my father.”
Balen chuckled. “Right. For your father.”
“I still can’t believe you earned a credit for rescuing her and I did not.” Viator glanced at Balen’s wings.
“Credits for what?” Eloria asked.
Viator explained what they had to do to come of age as a winged elf. “Do you hear that?” Viator looked heavenward.
“No.” Eloria shook her head.
“Aye, Your Majesty,” Balen said. “More trouble.”
They spied a dark gray speck in the sky. At the same time, they heard growling behind them, and they all turned to see red devil wolves crouching as they readied to lunge at their helpless prey.
Before Eloria could react or the elves pull their bows from the pouches, fire streamed in a steady flow from high above, striking at the wolf menace. Eloria’s clothes instantly dried while her body warmed at once. Balen and Viator’s wings were immediately dried, too, from the heat of the fire while the three of them ran away from the inferno.
Balen grabbed Eloria by the waist and lifted her into the air. “Viator!” she screamed, as a red wolf dodged the burning piles of fur and headed straight for him. In shock, she watched as a dragon swooped down while Viator jumped onto its back. An elf dressed in armo
r reined the beast in.
The dragon’s breath finished off the last of the red wolves before turning and heading for the mountain castle again.
“Is he all right?” Eloria cried out as she couldn’t see what had become of Viator.
Balen smiled. “Aye, young lady. The prince is riding with one of the royal guard, but when he returns to the castle, the king will have a say about this.”
“About what? The royal guard being used to save his son’s life?”
“About you. I suspect you will cause a great controversy in the castle today.” Balen shook his head. “As has been foretold,” he said under his breath.
“Can I remove these?”
“Yes. The fairies’ song cannot touch you this far away.”
When Balen landed on the balcony of the west wing, several lords, ladies and servants stood watching them. "Oohs" and "aahs" were exclaimed by most as Balen reached for Eloria’s arm and pulled her aside. Viator slipped down from a rope tied to the saddle on the dragon. The royal guard turned the creature away from the balcony as all but Eloria showed their respect to Viator. Balen pulled at her arm to force her to curtsy. Belatedly, she did.
Viator took her hand and led her to one of the women standing nearby as gasps were heard from the crowd. “Find her a suitable gown to wear, at once. And…disarm her.”
“My liege.” The lady curtsied once more. She waved to Eloria to follow her. Eloria turned to Viator. He motioned with his head for her to follow the lady.
Eloria had been lucky that Viator had not disarmed her, maybe thinking she needed to have protection should they fail to protect her on the way here. The stun gun was set to only work for her, so if anyone else tried to use it, they couldn’t. But she didn’t want to lose it for good.
With reluctance, she hurried after the woman whose shimmering wings barely shown as they were tucked neatly on her back. Her blond hair was braided and hidden under sheer veils. “Are you close to being of age?” Eloria studied the woman’s nearly transparent wings.