"Thought I wouldn't notice, you stupid wench?" The bandit laughs at my defeated whimper. He drags his knife down my throat, chuckling at my cry of pain. I can feel blood dripping from the gash on my neck, oozing down my chest.
Caught up in panic, I almost forget about the stiletto hidden in my boot. He starts dragging me backward again. I thrash in his grip, wincing in pain from the multiple cuts left by his dagger. Blocking out the pain, I continue to fight, kicking my legs in the air in an attempt to topple him. He leans forward trying to subdue me, and I smash my head into his face. The bandit lurches away, his disorientation giving me the opening I need. Grabbing the stiletto from my boot, I stab it backward into his stomach.
He staggers in pain, loosening his grip, and I'm able to squirm free. Zane has just finished disposing of the bandits he was fighting. I throw myself into his outstretched arms. Before anyone can advance on the fallen man to finish him, Shadow appears in a blur. He tackles the man, ripping him apart piece by piece, ferocious growls piercing the night air. Turning away from the carnage, I bury my face in Zane's neck and inhale his comforting scent.
"I'm so sorry, baby," Zane coos while stroking my hair.
Violent tremors overtake my body, and my fingers clutch at his back. He holds me as I tremble, kissing my head and caressing my hair while gently rocking back and forth. The comfort I find in his arms drives the tremors away. Tipping my head back, I capture his lips with mine, and he responds with abandon. The kiss is fiercely passionate. I cling to him like he's an anchor in a violent storm. He's my salvation, keeping me grounded, chasing away the overpowering fear wracking my body. Zane moves from my mouth to my neck, planting feather light kisses along its length. Then he stiffens and pulls away.
"I forgot you were injured," he says, examining the wounds on my neck. "They appear to be superficial — a healing potion should work just fine."
When a potion appears in his hand I remember we aren't alone, and I begin to focus on the activity around us. Lukas and Daren are walking among the dead bandits, kicking at some and poking others with their swords. Perhaps they're searching for survivors. Klein is standing right next to us with a rag in his hand. He must've given Zane the potion. I wonder how long we made him wait.
"Are you injured, Zane?" I ask, resisting the urge to check him over.
"Not a scratch," he replies. Klein hands him the rag. "Hold still while I clean up the blood around your wounds."
The rag is cool on my neck. I can't help leaning into Zane's hand. My eyes flutter closed, and a tiny sigh escapes my lips.
"Not now, Ashlyn," he admonishes, his voice tinged with amusement.
After he finishes cleaning off the blood, he applies a small amount of potion to the wounds dotting the left side of my neck. The pain disappears in an instant, due to what must be one high-quality healing potion. As soon as Zane hands the rag and the potion back to Klein, he takes me in his arms again. I ignore the activity of the other men and sink into Zane's comforting embrace. He holds me for a few moments before pulling away.
"We need to pack up and leave soon," he says, kissing my forehead. "The smell of blood will attract predators."
I nod stiffly before heading over to the spot where we left our packs and cloaks. There's a sharp chill in the air so I wrap my cloak around my shoulders, clasping it in front with the dragon brooch from my brothers. My mind is still numb from the battle. I try not to think about the men I just killed. Granted they weren't good men, but still, I've never killed anyone before, no matter how much I wanted to.
I feel Zane moving next to me, and I watch him gather his things. My body seems unwilling to function for some reason, numb all over. Time's running short. I know I should gather my gear and yet I remain unmoving, eyes now scanning the distant horizon. As I continue staring at the plains, I start to feel a sharp ache in my ribs where the bandit's arm held me. My fingers rub at the tender section on my right side. A merchant I never spoke to comes forward and breaks me from my reverie.
"I cleaned off the arrows you used and put them back in your quiver," the merchant says. "You didn't have many arrows and these still appeared to be in good condition, so I thought you'd want them." He's young, close to my age. His eyes are haunted; the bandit raid must have been traumatic for him. "Thank you for protecting us," he says as he hands over the quiver.
"You're welcome," I reply, my voice a hoarse whisper.
He nods once and walks away as I clutch the quiver to my chest. Within moments another merchant approaches. He's older than the prior merchant, experience carved in fine lines on his face. As he nears me his face is serious, but when his brown eyes meet mine they radiate happiness.
"I brought your stiletto and your dagger," he says, holding them out to me, one in each hand. Dropping the quiver to the ground, I take the dagger and return it to the empty sheath on my thigh. "I made sure to clean all the blood off your stiletto," he adds with a tentative smile.
"Thank you," I reply, my voice stronger now.
I place the stiletto in the sheath in my boot. The twins would be thrilled to know their gift saved my life. The man bows his head before shuffling away. Zane hands my sword to me and I sheathe it as well. He picks up my pack from the ground, tying the quiver to the side. As he's helping me position the bag on my back, the shorter of the two mercenaries approaches with my bow in his hand.
"Your combat skills are quite impressive," Daren says, holding out the bow. Zane takes it and ties it to my pack next to the quiver. "I'm sorry we weren't able to protect you better."
I nod in response since I have no idea how to respond. The man shakes hands with Zane before walking away. Lukas is silent, patting my shoulder before shaking Zane's hand and heading away to join Daren. Taking my hand in his, Zane brushes a kiss on my knuckles before leading me over to Klein.
"Thank you for your help, both of you," he says, his somber brown eyes meeting mine. "I'm sorry about what happened to you, Ashlyn."
"It's not your fault," I mumble. Not wishing to relive the events of the evening, I avert my eyes from the merchant.
"I feel responsible," Klein adds, sadness apparent in his tone. "Shadow was guarding us when you were attacked. Your dog killed three bandits right in front of us. We might be dead if not for his actions."
"Shadow knows I can defend myself," I say, meeting his sad eyes again.
Klein's grief is evident in his deep frown, but I don't have the energy to coddle or console him right now. Zane pulls on my hand as a signal to leave. Without another word we begin walking away.
"Zane," Klein yells. Zane stops and glances over his shoulder. "May the grace of the Goddess watch over you and light your path."
"May the gold never cease to fall like rain in your presence," Zane replies.
I gaze up at him, curious about the exchange. He just grins and continues leading me south down the merchant trail. The sun is rising to our left, bathing the distant foothills in vivid streaks of red and orange.
"The sunrise is spectacular!" I whisper, awestruck by the beauty. Zane stops and pulls me into his arms. He brushes my forehead with his lips.
"It pales in comparison to the halo of fire around your face," he says, tucking some stray strands of hair behind my ear. The intense gleam in his eyes sears into my soul, and I'm rendered speechless. Then those sultry eyes fill with an intriguing combination of surprise and laughter. "I can't believe I just said that! It's got to be the cheesiest line I've ever uttered."
"I…" I'm so lost in his eyes I can't manage to say anything else.
"I meant every word," he whispers in my ear.
Taking my hand again he leads me down the trail in silence. My cheeks must rival the sunrise in spectacular color right about now. When Zane gazes at me, I notice a slight red flush on his face as well. For some reason this emboldens me. I move closer to him and kiss his cheek right where the red color is still visible. Smiling, he pulls me against him and places his arm around my shoulders. A brilliant smile lights my face
as we continue traveling south along the worn merchant road.
Chapter Nine
Zodiac Inn Gemini
The sun is low in the western sky, but Zane shows no sign of slowing the fast pace he set early this morning. Today has been rather uneventful after our tumultuous night. To say Zane is tense would be a vast understatement. His constant survey of our surroundings is beginning to fray my last nerve. It's as if he expects to be attacked at every bend in the road, yet around every curve, there's nothing but more of the same endless plains.
If I thought the landscape of the forest was annoying, the flatness of the plains threatens to drive me crazy. There are no landmarks to gauge distance, no trees to provide shade from the sun. Sometimes I feel like we're just following some unending path, doomed to wander aimlessly for all eternity. The melancholy feeling sits like a stone in my heart, weighing down my legs as I force them forward. Perhaps a monster or two would be a nice diversion from the monotonous path before us.
Zane remains silent as the sun sinks lower into the horizon. I know we need to find shelter and soon. Last night made the dangers of a night on the prairie glaringly apparent. Had we been alone, the bandits would've overpowered us. The idea of camping alone on this endless road tonight makes my skin crawl.
My eyes dart back to him when I notice he's gripping his scabbard with his left hand again. My senses heighten every time he does this since it appears he will draw his sword any second. He fails to relax but I don't see any sign of danger on the darkening plains. Slowly my heart beat returns to normal, though Zane is still as tense as my bowstring. I continue to walk by his side, hoping he has some sort of plan to keep us safe tonight.
I've heard about mirages in an infinite desert landscape, the last illusion of a desperate, dying mind. So when I see a large building appear in front of us, I have a brief moment of despair.
Am I finally giving in to hallucinations?
I glance at Zane, gazing up at his face. His mouth is still set in a tense, determined line, and his gait never wavers. Shadow is prancing around in front of us, excited about something. Do I dare to hope the structure looming before us is real, and I'm not going insane?
As we approach, I get a better glimpse of the fortress up ahead. Only the roof of a large building is visible above an immense stone wall. In front of us two men guard a massive wooden gate. They have the same gruff appearance as the militiamen back home and are sporting less-than-pleasant expressions on their worn faces.
"We seek a night's lodging," Zane announces to the fortress guards.
Feeling uncomfortable, I fidget as the men inspect us without moving. Shadow appears at my side and rubs up against my leg in a dog-like manner, perhaps sensing my apprehension. The older of the two guards is ogling me in a most disturbing way. I move a bit closer to Zane's side and clutch his arm.
"We're quite tired, so if you don't mind…" Zane trails off.
The men step aside and signal for the gate to be opened. It creeps upward, creaking and squealing with every inch. I begin to wonder at the need for a fortress in the middle of nowhere. Images of the attack last night fill my mind, bandits. Well bandits and monsters, though I've yet to glimpse a monster out on the plains. I follow Zane through the immense wooden gate with Shadow padding along beside us.
"I was expecting a fight over Shadow entering with us," I murmur.
For some reason I feel the need to whisper. Perhaps because I'm feeling uneasy and have since we first approached the gate. The loud boom of the gate closing behind us causes me to jump in surprise, my pulse leaping in my throat. Thick stone walls at least ten or twelve feet high surround us, making me feel claustrophobic. The guards were haughty and crude to say the least. There's nothing welcoming in the dark imposing structure before me. It all just sets me on edge.
"Welcome to the fortress that is the Gemini Zodiac Inn," Zane says. He eyes me for a moment. "Are you okay?"
"Just a bit uneasy," I reply, taking several deep breaths to relax my tense body.
"The inside of the inn is much more inviting," Zane replies, leading me toward the large building. "Believe me, you'll like it here."
He opens the main door, giving me a little push when I remain motionless in the doorway. The foyer is well lit with several gas lamps along with numerous candles. Wonderful aromas are wafting in from somewhere down the hall to my left. My stomach gurgles and churns in anticipation — the last of the jerky and cheese made for a small lunch earlier.
Zane strides over to the main counter, and I follow closely behind. A young blonde woman behind the desk giggles while bouncing up and down when she sees Zane. I'm not sure if she's having a seizure or attempting to flirt with him. Stifling a laugh, I turn away so she can't see my face. She's like an older, less attractive version of my sister Celeste.
"Hello, Sheila," Zane greets the blonde woman, "I don't suppose you have a garden suite available do you?"
"This is your lucky night, Zane," she replies, leaning her upper body across the desk. "One just happens to be vacant. It'll be fifteen silver pieces."
My jaw drops. I'm not sure what shocks me more, the cost of the room or the licentious leer she's giving Zane. My eyes narrow as I draw in a breath through clenched teeth, and my heart pounds in my chest, while the jealousy continues to wash over me. What surprises me most, though, is the strength of this emotion. I have a sudden urge to jump over the counter and sock her right in those pouty red lips.
"We'll take it for two nights," Zane replies.
The blonde glances from him to me. I smirk when her smile falls to a frown. The triumph I feel at her fallen expression is almost as bad as the jealousy. She takes the gold coin he offers with wide eyes and walks into a back room. When she returns she gives him a handful of silver along with the key to the room.
"Have a good night Sheila," Zane says, placing the silver coins into his leather pouch without counting them.
As he leads me away, the smile and wave I direct at her are rewarded with a nasty glare. Zane leads me down a long hallway past numerous doors, pausing at the end of the hallway. Fitting the key into the lock, he opens the door and ushers me inside. The room is enormous, almost as large as the entire downstairs of my house in Verdane. There's a large four-poster bed off to one side with a beautiful maroon canopy draped over the posts. Opposite the bed is a small eating area with a table and four chairs. On the far side of the room there's another door, which appears to lead outside. When I open the door, Shadow races around the corner of the inn and into the room. Next to the patio door is a small sitting area with a sofa and a coffee table. Tossing my pack on the table, I sink down onto the comfortable blue sofa, and lean my head back with a soft sigh.
"There's a shower," Zane says, taking a seat beside me. He points to a door just to the right of the main door.
"A shower? In the room?" Running water. I dared not even hope I'd have any of the creature comforts of home on this journey.
"Your expression is priceless," he says laughing. "Did you think I'd make you bathe in streams for the entire trip?"
"You don't need to amuse yourself at my expense," I say pouting. He leans in closer. I scamper backwards but am stopped by the end of the sofa.
"Where are you running off to?" he asks. I just shake my head, refusing to answer. He reaches out, cupping my cheek in his hand. "You have no idea what that look on your face does to me."
I remain silent, frozen by the sensual gleam in his eyes. Closing my eyes, I expect to feel his lips on mine. When he doesn't move, I crack an eye open. He's still gazing at me with those dark, soulful eyes.
"Go take a shower and change," he murmurs. "I'll send our clothes to the laundry tonight when you're done."
"There's a laundry too?" This place is becoming my vision of heaven.
"Oh, did I mention this inn also boasts one of the finest restaurants on the continent?" he asks, eyes sparkling with amusement. "We'll head there after we clean up."
I can barely contain my excite
ment. It takes every ounce of self-control to keep from bouncing up and down on the sofa.
"Oh yes, I almost forgot to mention the hot spring."
Hot spring? Okay, now I'm in heaven. Zane rises and removes his shoulder guard and gauntlet, tossing them in the corner where they land with a loud clank. He leans down, peeling the gauntlet from my arm, adding it to the pile of armor.
"All right, I'll go take my shower now," I say, rubbing at my arm where the gauntlet had been.
"While you do, I'll go use the main bathroom down the hall to shower," he replies. "That way we can get to dinner faster."
He slings his bag back over his shoulder and walks out the door. Another bathroom? How convenient. Now I won't have to wait as long to eat. My stomach rumbles in agreement.
Bounding off the sofa, I grab my pack and head into the adjoining bathroom. There's a washbasin with two ewers of water sitting next to it. It appears the only running water is in the shower. I pull off my soiled clothes and kick them over into the corner. As I'm combing my fingers through my hair to detangle it, I notice a small bottle of shampoo. I manage to contain the squeal of pleasure. Using shampoo sure beats the bar of soap my sisters packed for me.
Stepping into the shower, I close the curtain and turn on the water. The cold water is a bit shocking at first, but I quickly become accustomed to it. As I stand still with the cold water hitting my face, I can feel the grime of the road washing away, flowing down the drain. After pouring the lavender scented soap into my hand, I rub it in my hair and then all over my body. An unbidden image of Zane enters my mind, his hands roaming over my body. I flush at my sensual thoughts while I rinse the soap away.
I grab a large fluffy towel then quickly dry off. My spare set of clothes is wrinkled from being rolled up in my pack but at least they're clean. With the towel firmly wrapped around my hair, I slip on the dark green bodysuit. Taking out the white skirt with green floral trim, I marvel at Brinda's intricate embroidery before pulling it up over my hips. Unwinding the towel from my head, I pull on the white shirt with the same green floral embroidery as the skirt. Using the towel, I try to dry my hair as much as possible. I glance at my wet, tangled mass of hair in the mirror; well at least it's not dripping anymore. My fingers are a poor substitute for a brush but they'll have to do until my hair is dry. Snatching up my soiled clothes, I venture back into the main room.
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