by Lisa E Parry
My mouth hung open, but all Dorian did was turn Warwick on the spot and push him away. Warwick let him, with a laugh; he’d had his joke.
Dorian turned to me, “Good night.” He gave me a formal bow himself. Sexy.
“I have a balcony y’know. You wouldn’t have to beat the door down with your animal needs.” My eyes rove over him. It was too tempting not to joke with it.
Dorian gave me a warning look to be quiet and glanced around. But then he surprised me, and I love it when he surprises me. “The thought had crossed my mind.”
Chapter 6
Seven in the morning is an ungodly hour but it didn’t feel like it. I was wide-awake as I wasn’t in sync with the time difference yet. It was six thirty and I had already been up a few hours. With Oliver as company we discussed what we thought we could come across on our travels in this realm.
“I wonder if banshees exist in this world?” Oliver asked excitedly, his eyes lighting up.
“Well if they didn’t then they do now because we brought one with us.” I was of course referring to Cheri. It wasn’t the first time I had suspected it.
Oliver laughed. “You still don’t trust her, do you?”
“Do you? I once asked you to tell me what you think of her and you never really gave me an answer.” I gave him a speculative look. “Well, do you?”
Oliver turned serious. “I think I do. I mean she did lead the rescue party for you.”
“Yeah, and the other part of her orders were to bring me in for exile, or worse.”
“This sort of exile isn’t too shabby,” Oliver noted looking around my room.
“Who’s to say I would have been staying with the King in his palace? They said they were going to find a place for me in society. For all I knew I could have ended up as a tavern wench.” I rolled my eyes when he suggestively waggled his eyebrows at me.
“Well then I would have come along.” I gave him an exasperated glare but then he turned serious. “I would’ve gone with you, y’know: so you weren’t alone.”
I regarded him closely and saw sincerity in his young face. I didn’t know what to say. He would’ve given up his only semblance of a home to make sure I wasn’t alone. He watched me. I was sure he was searching for something, but I had no idea what - or whether he found it.
When a knock came at the door we both jumped. I yelled, “Enter!” while in the process of dragging my eyes from Oliver’s face. Dorian strode in and looked at the bags by the door.
“You’re all packed? Are you okay?” He asked that second question when he saw my face. No doubt it was full of unspoken questions.
I slid off the bed and Oliver disappeared. “I’m fine thanks. Yup, I’m all packed.”
“Did you sleep well?”
“Yeah. I woke up early though, I’m still not…”
“In sync with the time difference?” he supplied with mutual understanding. I donned my thick, itchy, floor-length, brown cloak, and he picked up my bags before ushering me out of the room. We were travelling light. I had packed a dress for all eventualities though. They were growing on me - even if the impracticality of the things annoyed me.
“I can carry one of those,” I offered.
“A lady does not carry her bags. Especially not a witch with a warrior in tow.”
I huffed. “Whatever.”
It was still quite dark by the time we had all gathered and were ready to leave the stables. Dorian began saddling up my horse with my bags and I felt the first stab of nerves. Yes, it would be a perilous journey and there would certainly be many dangers ahead of us. That was only just beginning to dawn on me. Unknown territory and the task of reaching Anarch’s castle without any of his minions discovering our intent along the way felt like a fool’s errand. Surely his spies were everywhere. Then there was Etheldreda. How could she not be on to us?
I slowly breathed misty air in and out of my lungs. Questions and doubts plagued my mind. Dew drops beaded on my heavy cloak, which was keeping the damp off me surprisingly well. I took deep, calming breaths to steady my nerves. What other manner of dark creatures plagued this world? I felt like I needed a ‘Dark creatures of the Otherworld 101’ class.
In order to chase away the butterflies I looked at things practically. I was good with magic and I thought I could protect others and myself pretty well. My stomach churned with worry though. It was worry that I wouldn’t be able to protect everyone - like I’d felt at Henrik’s. If the worst came to the worst, then some of us might die and it would be because I didn’t do enough. Yeah, just like at Henrik’s. I clenched my teeth and tried to clear my mind before suffocating memories rose to the surface.
I felt a weight settle nicely on my shoulders when I looked around at nervous faces. I squeezed my eyes shut and then reopened them. My eyes fell on the King. He was dressed identically to Dorian and the other warriors. I noticed he did not look nervous. He was attaching Viola’s bags with the same ease as Dorian and then checked the saddling of her horse and the shoes on each of the animal’s feet. He was already in character.
I studied him, and my stomach unclenched a little while watching his ease and confidence. I imagined he was as good a warrior as Dorian. He no longer looked like a King, but the chainmail suited him down to the ground. The broadsword slung across his back told me he’s quite capable of protecting himself and others.
“Don’t address him as ‘your Majesty’ in public, remember.” Stephanie stood beside me and also seemed intrigued by the King.
Did she think I was an idiot? “Yes, I got that from yesterday,” I said tightly.
“You must still treat him as the King though,” she added, ignoring my irritable reply.
I muttered to myself. “Make that two banshees.” She didn’t hear. I looked around the stables and wrinkled my nose at the smell of horses, muck and straw then stood to face my horse. It was the same chestnut coloured horse I had first rode on entering this realm. Great, something else to be nervous about. I took a hold of the reins and looked into her brown eyes.
“Look, I know you aren’t happy about being saddled with me either so let’s make an agreement, okay? You look after my arse and I’ll look after yours.” I heard Dorian’s soft laugh behind me. The horse however gave a great nod of its head and I looked back at it with surprise. Did she understand me?
“Her name is Daisy,” Dorian informed me and stroked her neck. “She’s a good horse and a fantastic runner as you know.”
“I’m going to fall off at some point you know.” I looked at her warily then back to Dorian who was eyeing me with amusement. “She and I have an agreement.” As if to confirm this she nudged me with her head. Dorian frowned at the horse’s response.
By the time we were riding through the city it was lighter and that thin mist still hung in the air. Great, my hair was going to frizz, and I had no hair straighteners. It also dawned on me that we would be camping out and I had never been camping. Where the hell am I going to shower? Stuff that, where the hell am I going to find a toilet? The thought of digging a hole in the ground made me groan with despair.
I took in my surroundings to take my mind off those daunting thoughts. We were heading down a wide street in the middle of the city. The floor was compact dirt, but people were in the process of setting stones into the ground. I wondered if I was witnessing the first roads of a city being laid down. Horses were dragging carts to stalls full of fruit and vegetables, ready for the day’s trading as people were setting up.
I saw with distaste an unconscious man lying on the floor outside a tavern. He had a face purpled from bruising and vomit down his front. A tavern brawl no doubt. The door to the tavern opened and a woman stepped out to shake a rug free of dirt. She watched us curiously as we passed. Her hair was long and dark, and her slender figure was donned in similar attire to ours, except for a split up the leg and a plunging neckline that was incredibly low. She smiled at the men as they passed, and I cringed at the thought that that may have been my fate.
Further out of the city, towards the city’s fortified walls, the buildings weren’t so grand. They slanted uneasily, looked unkempt, and shabby. I felt sorry for those people. How do they make a living? How do they get by?
Finally, we were out of the city walls and by midday, the city had disappeared from view and we were closely skirting a thick forest. I heard the hooves of a horse ride up to my side and I turned to find Dorian. “I’m going to suggest we set up camp. Move a little closer to Warwick while I don’t have your back.” I watched him ride up the line and inform everyone else.
“It’s okay, I’m here anyway.” Warwick said by my side. I jumped, and Daisy whickered a little, so I patted her neck in reassurance. I was getting used to riding a horse and found myself content to sit atop her and watch the countryside idle by. My arse was beginning to go to sleep though. I looked down at Warwick. He was walking an easy pace and leading his horse by the reins, as apparently they don’t get on with vampires. I noticed with amusement that his large black horse kept a watchful eye on him at all times.
Something occurred to me then. “Warwick,” I whispered so Stephanie in front wouldn’t hear. He raised a quizzical eyebrow at me. “Um, what are you going to eat?” I had to ask. He drank human blood without taking their lives, but he couldn’t do that with present company.
“Halt!” I heard Dorian shout, and everyone reined in. Warwick helped me dismount and I nearly bumped into him when my legs gave way, feeling like jelly. He steadied me and whispered back: “I’m going to have to hunt animals.” He said it with such distaste that I wondered if it was possible for vampires to throw up. He was making a huge sacrifice by not feeding on humans. I grasped his shoulder and he turned those emerald eyes on me. He wasn’t using his hypnosis on me, but I could see how easy it was with eyes like that.
“Thank you,” I said with sincerity and Warwick gave me a confused look, which changed to appreciation. I wanted him to know that I knew it would be difficult for him, and that I was grateful he wouldn’t be sucking on our necks. He moved closer, almost threateningly close. “You’re worried about a vampire? A thing of the night that hunts defenceless, frail human beings?” He flicked my hair as he said it, but amusement was gone from his features.
I looked around feeling uneasy under his glare. “Yes, and don’t consider yourself as a thing either.” I had to admonish him for the ‘thing’ comment. He was still my friend so as far I was concerned I perceived him as human. He had feelings after all.
After saying something under his breath he disappeared into the forest quicker than my eyes could follow. I thought I saw him glance at my neck before he left and the memory of him feeding off one of Henrik’s guards shot through my head. “Ugh.” My disturbing imagination…
“Animals, I’m guessing?” Viola had crept up on me.
“Dammit, this place is making me jumpy.” I turned to Viola’s amused violet gaze. “Yes, and he’s not very happy about it either.” We walked our horses over to an obliging tree and tied the reins to a branch. I turned my attention to Daisy and fussed her head.
We walked to the makeshift camp the others were assembling when Viola tucked her white hair behind her pointed ears. “I don’t think I could watch it again.” She said looking into the distance dreamily. I entwined her arm through mine.
“Don’t think about it.” I knew she was picturing Warwick’s feeding as well. I wondered what it would have been like if the vampire that night at the nightclub had bitten me. I inwardly shuddered.
We were sitting in a circle eating bread and cheese when the King spoke up. “There are bandits on these roads, so we need to be extra careful. They usually hide in the trees and then ambush travellers, so I want all the bodyguards on the right side of your witches for the next stretch. Ladies, if you could kill the ones out of combat range than we will dispose of them pretty quickly.
“I am not a lady though. Do you want me in close combat or to use my magic?” Warwick said looking bored as he emerged from the forest. All eyes turned on him. He carried three rabbits in one hand and a small deer in the other. I gawked at him. “Have I caught enough food to go around?”
After we recovered from the shock of his appearance carrying dead animals, Adhelm smiled. “I think that will suffice thank you, and close combat for now unless you feel it necessary to use magic.” I had to remember that Adhelm knew what Warwick was. I pitied the man who came across Warwick in close combat.
Cheri wore a dark expression. Perhaps she thought Warwick was drawing too much attention to himself and his unusual abilities. Dayna on the other hand turned away from Cheri to hide her smile. Watching Dayna, I felt the absence of Nick. Back home they were nearly always together. He had stayed behind at the palace to investigate the closed portal and find another way of returning us to our own world. I missed his easy smile and mischievous hazel eyes, and even his hair that always seemed deliberately scruffy. I little light-hearted banter would have gone a long way at the moment.
I saw Adhelm approach Viola and they spoke in hushed tones. Soon after, their heads were bent together in deep conversation. Images suddenly flashed into my head of defence and offensive moves, taking my attention from Viola and Adhelm. I knew they were Dorian’s thoughts. My eyes sought him out. His stony grey eyes looked back at me intently and I wondered if he had tried to deliberately project his thoughts into mine.
He stood and asked me to follow him. He wanted to start teaching me to fight here, in front of everyone? Embarrassing. I wanted him to share my embarrassment so I projected my view of his arse as I followed him. His pace faltered, but other than that he conveyed no other indication of what passed between us.
When we reached his dark brown stallion, he turned a stern look on me. “Please don’t do that again.” He pushed a hand through his hair and looked at me seriously. I tried not to smile but my face cracked into one. He took out two daggers and handed them to me.
“I’m wearing a dress,” I said stupidly.
“So, you will have to learn in it. We’ll practise until they’ve finished packing up.” I turned to see that the camp was breaking up now. Dorian began with the basics on how to hold the daggers and then easy moves on defence. I was getting into it, and even though I was beginning to feel the heat I was rather enjoying it. Owen and Neil approached us, to watch and yell out pointers to me as I tried to fend off Dorian’s attack. Occasionally, Dorian would stop and show me a manoeuvre to counter attack.
Time was up. Dorian told me I had picked it up quickly and that with continued training I would be rather good at it. I enjoyed it to be honest. It gave me something to focus on and turn my mind to. I would go over the moves in my head as we rode and think about Dorian’s telltale signs on what he was going to do next. Impulsive and strategic moves were still a little lost on me, but I was looking forward to our next training session. Of course, there was also the added bonus that it was a great excuse to spend more time together and to be… close. Even if it wasn’t the type of closeness I wanted it to be, I had found a little comfort and enjoyment in it.
Just as I mounted my horse I heard a strange keening noise in the distance. Everyone from my world stopped and listened. I looked around for the source of the alien sound but saw nothing move in the air or on the ground.
“A dragon is following us. It seems we have piqued its interest,” Dorian said matter of factly. My heart began to race at the prospect and my eyes searched the powder-blue sky free of clouds for the large winged beast. I groaned when they gave the order to ride on. A dragon this close was an opportunity difficult to pass up.
As we rode along I closed my eyes and drew a little power in. I felt it flow throughout my body; hopefully no one would notice. The wind caressed my skin like silk; it had a slight warmth to it, a real promise of summer. I heard nearly every animal nearby in the forest. It was abundant with creatures and as we rode by I heard them scurry away and dive into their burrows, considering us predators.
How do I do this? Ho
w do I search with my mind? A dragon would have a huge mind, I was sure of it. I thought about how Dorian and I were now communicating on another level and decided to take that route. Something touched the edge of my mind and the feeling that flooded through me was curiosity. It happened so quickly that I jerked away from it and the power I had drawn in fled in an instant. I gasped, and my heart thudded in my chest with excitement and shock. Daisy danced for a moment but then cantered on.
I knew where it was; it was behind us, hiding over the ridge of the distant mountains. I tried to twist in my saddle to see it but it was no use and my muscles wouldn’t let me after my practice with Dorian. Hopefully, I would get glimpse of a dragon after all.
The sun was beginning to set, and our shadows stretched out ahead of us as cool, fresher air washed over us. We were on high alert for bandits and nerves were kicking in. The memory of smelling blood on Dorian’s chainmail shot through my mind. How gruesome had that encounter been? Everyone had fallen silent, so I flinched at any loud noises. The mountains had crept up on us and now towered over us with staggering height. We were travelling amongst sparse trees, so we kept incredibly close to one another. Light was becoming an issue and the thought of being out here with the darkness pressing down on us made me edgy. Daisy felt nervous too and would nod her head emphatically as though she didn’t want to go on.
The sun dipped, and the temperature plummeted. Even though I had wrapped a heavy cloak around me, I still shivered. I wished I had my thick winter coat on me from back home, with gloves and a scarf. My thermal socks wouldn’t go amiss either; and a hot chocolate.
My mind was my worst enemy. I imagined horrible alien things coming out of the forest to attack and maim us. Spells ran through my head that I could use for each different attack I imagined. My knuckles were white from gripping the reins and for some reason my feet flexed as though they wanted to run me away. Something was coming - I could feel it. Any moment now…