Shadow Fire

by Wheaton, Kimber Leigh

  "Excuse me for a moment," Zane says, dragging his lips away from mine. "Don't move. I'll be right back."

  The ferocious gleam in his dark eyes is strangely arousing. Warmth floods my body as I gaze into his eyes, my legs trembling before the mighty warrior. Turning away, he draws his sword in a smooth motion. With one swift swing, he beheads the basilisk as it approaches. The scaly green head flies through the air, landing at Oscar's feet as the lizard-like body collapses to the ground.

  Without sheathing his sword he turns back and embraces me with his left arm. The fierce expression on his face leaves me swooning in his arms. His lips ravage mine again, the intensity of the kiss matching the dark fire in his eyes. When he releases me, my fingers trace along my swollen, tingling lips. Zane wipes the blood from his sword and sheathes it. For the first time I notice Oscar is staring at him, eyes wide, looking almost haunted or perhaps a touch ill.

  "Wow, I'm glad he's on our side," Oscar murmurs.

  I can't conceal the grin stealing across my face. Zane can be pretty scary at times. A cool breeze stirs around me and my body starts shivering, making my teeth clatter together.

  "Come on, baby," Zane says embracing me from behind. "Let's get you dry."

  He leads me over to the wagon. Shadow's curled up on the ground, head on his paws. When he sees me approach the wolf jumps up and pads over. Kneeling down, I bury my face in the soft fur at his neck. As I glance back up, I notice four sets of eyes peeking out the back of the wagon. A woman jumps out and heads our way. Her long blonde hair is tied back in a loose braid. Her eyes are a brilliant green. She's several inches shorter than me, and the two men tower over her.

  "I'm Emma, Oscar's wife. Come, I'll help you change into some dry clothes."

  She leads me to the wagon and orders the three children out, two girls and one boy; all three appear less than ten years old. Her youngest girl is the one I tried to save earlier. The children clamber out, jumping to the ground and I climb in after Emma. My pack is lying on the wooden floor of the wagon. I start peeling out of the wet clothes, and Emma's eyes widen when she sees the purple bruising on my side. Too exhausted to offer any explanation, I finish dressing in my spare clothes. Trying to smooth out my braided hair proves futile, so I decide to just leave it alone.

  The back of my gauntlet is still wet from my earlier swim, and I have no choice but to put it on over my dry sleeve. My fingers are still a bit numb from the cold water, forcing me to concentrate in order to buckle my thigh sheath back in place; all the while thanking the Goddess my daggers and sword didn't get lost in the river. I place the quiver of arrows over my shoulder, attach my sword to my sash, and grab my bow. Feeling Emma's eyes on me, I glance at her.

  "You're injured," she says. "You should ride in the wagon with the children and me. Let the men deal with the monsters."

  I have to suppress a snicker. "Thanks but I'd rather fight."

  There are quite a few things I'd like to say instead, but good manners keep me quiet. She wouldn't understand my point of view, and I don't wish to hurt her feelings. I jump from the wagon then stride up to Zane, ignoring the pain the movement causes. He already changed while I was in the wagon with Emma, now he's putting his armor back on.

  "Need any help with your armor?" I offer.

  "I've got it. Thanks." He finishes buckling the shoulder armor in place and proceeds to eye me. "Is it safe to assume you still refuse to ride inside the wagon?" His question is not deserving of an answer so I tilt my head and stare at him. "As you wish." He turns to Oscar. "Okay, let's head out."

  Emma takes Zane's pack and follows the children into the wagon. She gives me a pointed glare, begging me to join her. I shake my head, returning her glare with a resolute one of my own. Following Oscar to the front of the wagon, I watch as he hitches up the horses, such beautiful animals, both snowy white. I walk over and pet their necks, thanking them for their part in my rescue. As I reach the other side of the wagon, I see Zane squatting on the ground talking to Shadow. I can't make out what he's saying, but he seems satisfied when Shadow bounds to the back of the wagon. He walks up and caresses my face with his fingertips.

  "Are you ready?" he whispers in my ear. My body trembles in response to his touch, my face leaning into his palm. "Come. The sooner we get to the inn the sooner I can curl up with you and forget everything else."

  He helps me up onto the bench at the front of the wagon then climbs up after me. Oscar snaps the reins and the horses take off at a fast walk. As the horses speed up, the bumpy ride becomes almost unbearable. How do they stand traveling like this? As if being thrown against multiple rocks wasn't enough, now my rear is taking a similar beating. With a quick glance at Zane, I decide his lap will hurt much less than the wooden bench. Shifting a bit, I slide myself onto his lap and wrap my arms around him. His throaty laugh envelopes me as his arms curl around my body.

  The ride to the inn is anything but peaceful. Though we've moved onto the main merchant road, the ride is still quite jarring. Numerous monsters, attracted to the noise of the wagon, appear at regular intervals. So far they haven't presented much of a challenge. Zane is on fire tonight. Literally. The next pack of monsters we come across I don't recognize. They are odd plant-type things with vines dangling from their limbs. Or would it be stems — maybe branches? The horses slow down and shy away from the five monsters. I'm about to rise when a firm hand keeps me seated.

  "I've got this," Zane says.

  He holds out his left arm, palm facing toward the monsters. A streak of fire lights up the night as a wall of flame encircles all five monsters. For a few seconds the flames intensify then disappear. The monsters are now a pile of ash littering the dirt road, blowing away with the wind. Oscar's eyes widen, gaping at Zane, shaking his head as if in denial.

  "Sorry, fire is really the only thing that works on hydrangas. Their limbs grow back immediately if hacked off," Zane says, his eyes watching the ashes blowing away.

  "Zane?" I squeak out when I find my voice.

  "Hmm?"

  "You do realize we're traveling alongside a massive prairie, right?" I comment, my voice shaky, betraying my fear. Oscar's nodding his head in agreement.

  "Huh?" he asks, head tipped in confusion. Then he breaks out in laughter. "I wasn't going to burn the plains down or anything. Whatever fire I create, I can extinguish."

  I fail to see what's so funny, but Zane shows no sign of stopping his laughter. Oscar chooses to ignore him and spurs the horses forward again. Seeing my petulant expression, Zane stops laughing.

  "You thought I was going to reduce the plain to cinders," he accuses, renewing his light chuckling. "Sorry, it's just funny."

  "No, really it's not," I snap back. "Seemed like a logical worry at the time."

  Of course when I think a bit longer, I realize he'd never do something so foolish. I suppose I should be happy he's laughing and not fuming.

  "I thought you didn't use magic in front of other people," I whisper.

  "Yeah, that's true," he admits, "but I had no choice. Believe me, death by hydranga is a hideous fate. They wrap their vines around their prey and slowly drain the life from it. The harder the prey struggles, the tighter the vines become, until the prey is either suffocated or sucked dry." I shudder at Zane's words, a hideous fate indeed. "Fire really is the only weakness those repulsive hydrangas possess."

  "Don't worry I won't say anything," Oscar says. "For one thing, I don't agree magic should be outlawed. Besides, you keep saving us at every turn." As if on cue, more monsters appear on the road in front of us. The horses shy away from the new threat, forcing Oscar to pull on the reins and stop the wagon yet again.

  "It's your turn, Ashlyn," Zane says, his eyes glinting mischievously. "I'm exhausted. I think I'll just sit this one out."

  My gaze passes from him to the six large, rabid bunnies in our path. Scary fangs just don't belong in a cute bunny face. Never leaving his lap, I fit an arrow to my bowstring and pierce the closest bunny through the head
. The other five release high-pitched squeals and take off running.

  "Go fetch my arrow, Zane dear," I demand with a smirk. "After all, I took care of the vicious monsters." Sighing he sets me down on the bench next to Oscar. He leaps to the ground and stalks over to the prone monster.

  "You want this ugly monster attached to your arrow?" he asks, dangling the monster in front of him.

  "Nah, you can keep it."

  He snorts and throws the carcass into the air. A black blur seizes it in midair.

  "Thanks for feeding the dog, dear."

  Zane climbs back up on the bench and nibbles my ear. Giggling, I try to push him away.

  "Hold still," he admonishes. "I'm trying to remind myself why I put up with you." I push at him in earnest now. He picks me up and places me back on his lap. "Calm down. Our antics are embarrassing our host."

  Face red, I glance at Oscar. He seems to find the reins in his hands immensely interesting as he flicks them, urging the horses forward. I make a concerted effort to sit still and act ladylike.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Zodiac Inn Leo

  With the constant battling, the going is slow. It's unbelievable how many monsters are attracted to the noise of the wagon. No wonder merchants travel in groups with mercenary guards. Relief floods me when I see the outline of our destination. As we approach, I notice there's little to distinguish it from the last Zodiac Inn. The same type of massive stone wall surrounds this inn as well. A massive wooden gate has guards on duty even this late at night. After a quick inspection of the wagon and cargo, the gate creaks open and the guards usher us through. At the main building, we unload our gear from the wagon before a stable hand takes the horses and the wagon from Oscar.

  Zane and Oscar head inside to procure rooms while I go over to help Emma with the three sleepy children. She's standing with a child hanging from each side of her long skirt. The youngest girl is curled up on the ground next to Shadow. Picking up the little girl, I cradle her in my arms, cooing softly to the sleepy child. An adorable little grin spreads across her face. She seems unaffected by her earlier ordeal, and I'm glad she wasn't traumatized or injured. Her tiny arms wrap around my neck and she nuzzles into my shoulder.

  "Miranda seems quite taken with you," Emma murmurs. "I just can't thank you enough for saving her from the monsters." Unadulterated joy is reflected in her vivid emerald eyes.

  "Well I'd say you're welcome, but all I managed to do was get pulled into the river," I say with a self-deprecating snort. "Zane's the real hero."

  "There's no doubt Zane's a hero," she says, her lips curling into a half smile. "However, you shouldn't sell yourself short." She pauses and gazes at me through sharp, knowing eyes. "I know who you are."

  "What do you mean?" I ask, my eyes narrowing. I'm sure I've never met this woman before in my life.

  "You're the Chosen of Verdane, are you not?" she asks with a raised eyebrow. Staring into her eyes, I feel my adrenaline surge, my pulse pounding in my head. Something just doesn't feel right, and my legs are twitching with the need to run away.

  "What makes you think that?" I ask, trying to appear confused.

  "I was in the audience the day you were announced as Chosen. Oscar and I are merchants so we travel quite a bit," she replies. "We hail from Algora."

  I'm unable to hold back a gasp of surprise. The town that caused the whole mess leading up to my quest. She and her family are Algorans? I try to think of something to say but the shock is too great. Zane and Oscar return, saving me from any further discussion. Zane seems to notice my discomfort when he reaches my side.

  "Are you all right?" he whispers. I manage a weak nod. He takes the child from my arms and hands her to Oscar. "Ashlyn needs to get some rest so we'll take our leave."

  Zane picks up our packs from the ground and slings them both over his right shoulder. He leads me toward the main doors of the inn, his arm curled around my back.

  "Wait!" Emma cries. "Please Ashlyn, I'd like to talk more. I have several important things to tell you."

  I stop but don't turn to face her. Zane senses my hesitation, though he doesn't know the cause. My heart melts under his concerned gaze. Deep down I know Emma and Oscar are not bad people just because they're Algoran. But, it's hard to set aside a hatred nurtured by an entire village for a lifetime. Besides, something about this whole situation seems suspicious at best. Gathering my courage, I take a deep breath and turn to face her.

  "I'll meet you for lunch tomorrow at noon," I say, flinching at the catch in my voice. "But I want Zane there with me."

  "That's fine. Thank you for agreeing to talk with me. I know you can't be too happy with this whole situation right now," she says, bowing her head.

  Turning away, I allow Zane to lead me into the inn. It's obvious he's quite curious about the exchange, but he doesn't ask about it. I take time during the walk to our room to gather my thoughts. Why was an Algoran in Verdane anyway? Was our meeting tonight accidental or did they plan it? Well I doubt they would put themselves in such danger just to stop me from completing my quest. Moreover, Oscar did help Zane rescue me from the river. He could have released the rope, letting us drown.

  My thoughts are still racing as Zane ushers me into our room. It's almost a mirror image of our room at the last inn. I walk over and collapse on the soft king size bed while Zane opens the patio door to let Shadow into the room. The ebony wolf drops to the floor and curls up in a ball by the bed. Shadow closes his eyes and appears to fall asleep within moments. Perhaps Shadow has the right idea. It's been a long, tedious, over all horrible day. All I want is to curl up in a nice warm bed wrapped in Zane's arms.

  "Would you like a shower before bed?" Zane asks in a soft whisper.

  "I think I've had enough water for one day," I say, managing a tiny smirk. "I just want to go to sleep."

  "Then perhaps you'd be more comfortable under the covers instead of sprawled over the top," he suggests, smirking back.

  He starts to remove his armor and I prop my chin on my hand to gaze at him. My eyes follow his every slight movement, drinking in the play of muscles beneath his clothing. When he finishes with his armor, he sits down and pulls my gauntlet off, tossing it into the corner. I allow him to pull off my wet boots before climbing under the soft covers, collapsing on my back.

  He turns off the two gas lamps on either side of the bed before crawling under the blanket with me. Lying on his side and supporting his head with his hand, he gazes at me, his fingertips running across my cheekbone then down my jawline. The glow from the gas lamps outside filters through the curtains on the far window, leaving the room bathed in dim light. He continues to stare at me, his eyes glowing, curiosity and worry reflected within their depths.

  "So are you going to tell me what Emma said?" he asks, brushing some stray hair from my face with a light caress of his fingers.

  "She and Oscar are from Algora."

  He continues to run light caresses up and down both sides of my face. My eyes flutter closed as I lean into his hand.

  "I see."

  My eyes are still closed when I feel his lips brush against mine. The kiss is gentle and quick and not at all what I was expecting. When he pulls away my eyes fly open to meet his. Concern is etched in the frown lines marring his forehead.

  "Come here, Love," he says, lying down on his back, arms extended.

  Did he just call me Love? My heart feels like it just might explode from happiness. Unable to conceal the brilliant smile, which replaces my earlier scowl, I curl up in his arms with my head on his shoulder.

  "Sleep," he commands in the barest of whispers.

  I start to drift off, all thoughts of Emma and Algora banished. Instead, my mind is filled with images of dark auburn hair and glittering garnet eyes.

  ****

  My mind alerts me to the morning before my body is ready to respond. A slight shift in my position sends waves of pain shooting throughout my body. The arms encircling me tighten, and I grimace when several ne
w throbbing aches surface. Hopefully this place has a hot spring. I'd sell my soul for a soak in some hot water right now.

  Lying still for a moment, I listen to Zane's steady breathing. He's still asleep. Goddess only knows how long he kept watch the night before last. Poor guy must be exhausted. Well, poor guy or not, I need to soak these aches and pains away. He's curled up behind me on his side with my back flush against his chest. His legs are entwined around mine. I try to get up without disturbing him, but he seems to have no intention of loosening his grip on me.

  "Zane?" I call, wriggling in his embrace. "Zane, wake up," I say a bit louder, squirming against his iron grip.

  "Dear Goddess, Ashlyn," he chokes out as his body tenses up. "Don't squirm like that. You'll be the death of me."

  When the meaning of his words sinks in, I can feel my face begin to burn. Thank goodness I'm facing away from him and he can't see my embarrassment. Or rather excitement.

  "Sorry," I squeak out. A few deep breaths later, I'm able to regain my composure. "My muscles are really sore. I don't suppose there's a hot spring here?"

  "Hmm," he mutters.

  He hasn't let go of me, and it appears he somehow managed to go back to sleep. Craning my neck around, I gaze at his sleeping face, noting the bright pink flush staining his cheeks. Maybe I should just let him be for a moment. Nah, what would be the fun in that? Ignoring my achy body, I writhe a bit in his arms trying to get his attention. His arms tighten around me then I feel his lips on my neck. It's now my turn to tense in his embrace. His teeth graze my neck right at the pulse point. My back arches which thrusts my hips into him, making me gasp at the riot of sensations coursing through me. The contact evokes a loud moan from Zane. He bites and sucks at my neck eliciting tiny sighs of pleasure from my throat. His deep chuckle reverberates through my body, causing my stomach to clench with desire. A loud knock at the door interrupts a rather passionate kiss. I struggle to rise, but Zane pulls me down against him.