Shadow Fire

by Wheaton, Kimber Leigh

  How odd, I've never heard of Delistaire. Then again, I don't know much of anything about the world outside Verdane.

  "What did he want?" Zane asks when Emma remains silent.

  "He commanded we follow the Chosen and report on her progress then await his orders regarding her capture," Emma says, glancing away as if ashamed. "Please understand we couldn't refuse him. He's so powerful. We'd have been struck down where we stood had we defied him."

  "What does he want with me?" I ask, confused by this new development. "And why send you? If he's so powerful, why doesn't he just come get me himself?"

  "Well?" Zane asks. "Ashlyn's questions are valid. Do you have an answer?"

  "No," Emma says, staring at me as though begging me to understand. "I was too afraid to ask any questions. I'm not an idiot. I've seen that evil wizard kill a man who didn't bow low enough." Emma crosses her arms over her chest, and stares at the table. "All I know is we're supposed to wait until you retrieve the Goddess Statue then bring you to his tower southwest of the Breven Ruins."

  "Your commitment to him ends here," Zane says in a dark tone, which leaves no room for argument. Emma blanches.

  "But if we don't obey him, he'll kill us," she chokes out.

  "Go hide out in Mariba, southwest of the desert. He won't find you there. I'll send word when it's safe to leave," Zane says.

  "You must be joking! If we miss one status report he'll send his goons after us," Emma says, her eyes wide with fear. "He already has. Why do you think we were attacked on the bridge last night? It was a warning. We were only one day late with a report and his monsters almost killed Miranda!"

  "I'll find the tracking crystal he's hidden with your belongings. Without it he has no way to find you. Besides, he'll have more important issues occupying his time. Why track you when he's forced to track Ashlyn on his own?"

  Zane sits back and glares at her while she remains silent. Our food arrives but I find I have no appetite. Pushing the plate away, I rest my head in my hands.

  "Please eat, Love," Zane begs, moving the plate back in front of me. "You'll need your strength. We need to start moving much faster to stay ahead of this new threat."

  With a deep sigh that comes out sounding more like a sob, I start to pick at the chicken. It's surprisingly good and my hunger returns with the first bite. Emma's also picking at her lunch, deep in thought. Zane's taking his own advice and eating as though he has no care in the world.

  "You know, Zane, you look like a younger version of Delistaire," Emma says as she examines the chicken on her fork. She stares at Zane, her eyes hard.

  "I doubt that," Zane replies.

  "Well his hair is different, but you both have the same dark red eyes. An unusual color don't you think? You also have very similar facial features," Emma says, leaning forward.

  Zane chooses to ignore her. Glancing at him, I notice his jaw is set in a tense line, his teeth clenched. He's upset by her words. I suppose I would be too if someone compared me to an evil sorcerer.

  "Leave Zane alone, Emma!" I snap at her. "Why would you say such a thing? He's saved your children twice in two days!" She has the courtesy to look contrite and her eyes fall to the table.

  "Sorry, Zane," she says. "I meant no offense. My curiosity seems to have gotten the better of me."

  "Hmph," Zane mutters, dismissing the annoying conversation.

  The rest of the meal is finished in silence. As soon as she's finished eating, Emma excuses herself and leaves. I somehow manage to choke down my entire lunch earning a fleeting smile from Zane. He appears lost in his thoughts — unpleasant thoughts based on his furrowed brow. Wrapping my arms around his shoulders, I sidle up onto his lap, nuzzling my face against his neck. His arms wrap around me, and he rests his head against mine.

  "I'll protect you," he murmurs into my hair. "The dastard won't know what hit him if he tries to hurt you." His words fill me with strength and an interesting notion occurs to me.

  "Hey, Zane?" I ask, bouncing a bit in excitement.

  "Hmm?"

  "Does this mean the Goddess Statue is everything the elders claim it to be?" I ask, eyes gleaming at the possibility.

  "Apparently so," he replies with a harsh, grating laugh, "I can't think of another reason a sorcerer would want it." He removes me from his lap and stands, offering his hand to help me up. "Come. We need to leave in the morning, and there's much to be done first." Taking his hand, I allow him to lead me out of the restaurant.

  Oscar is standing by our door when we arrive back at the room. He stands aside for Zane to open the door then follows us inside. When will these people give me a moment of peace?

  "I know I'm the last person you want to see right now," Oscar says, his eyes gazing at the floor. Zane grunts in what sounds like annoyance while I fall over onto the bed face down. Maybe if I don't acknowledge him he'll go away.

  "Just say what you've come to say then leave Ashlyn alone." He sits down next to me on the bed and starts caressing my back.

  "Right, uh, well Emma told me what she told you but there's something else. There's a crystal pendant we're supposed to give to you but it went missing. Emma didn't know it was found."

  "Is it just me or is he speaking in riddles?" I mumble into the blanket. Zane pats my back then continues to massage my sore muscles. The feel of his hands makes my body tingle. I moan softy in pleasure. When he stops, I turn my head and open one eye to gaze up at him.

  "Did you hear a word Oscar just said?" he asks with an adorable smirk.

  "Something about a crystal or a pendant?" Of course I wasn't listening! "If you wanted me to pay attention, you should've kept your hands to yourself," I mutter, pushing his hands away. With a sigh, I sit up on the bed ready to listen to Oscar.

  "Uh, as I was saying, Delistaire wanted us to give it to you. It's a key of some sort you'll need in the ruins." He pauses, shuffling back and forth from one foot to the other. "This morning we realized it was missing. That's what the fight with Ronan was about. We thought he'd taken it. As it turns out he was playing with it last night and dropped it when we were attacked. He ran away, to go find the pendant."

  Oscar pulls a pendant out of a black velvet pouch and hands it to me. It dangles from a long gold chain. The pendant itself is exquisite. A large diamond shaped pink crystal rests in the center. It's mounted onto gold carved with numerous runes I can't even begin to decipher. As if under a spell, I start to place it around my neck. Zane's hand stops mine, but I struggle a bit against him. I feel a strong need to wear this pendant.

  "Stop," Zane orders, "there are numerous magic spells on this pendant." He takes it from my hand and places it back into the pouch. "I need to go help Oscar find the tracking crystal," he says, his eyes wide and too shiny. He's visibly shaken. "You look exhausted, you should take a nap."

  "That crystal isn't the tracking crystal?" I ask. His expression is making my pulse quicken and not in the good way either. There's something bothering him that he's not sharing.

  "No. This is something else entirely," he says, before clearing his throat. "I'll just hold onto it for a while. You get some rest."

  He gives me a quick kiss then disappears out the door without another word. I wonder what would've happened if I'd managed to get the pendant around my neck before he stopped me. My body is shaken by a huge, jaw-popping yawn. Snuggling under the blanket, I curl up on my side and close my eyes. Images of the pendant I barely got a glimpse of swim in my mind's eye. I let out a startled shriek… I'm on my feet next to the bed, and I don't remember standing.

  With a tiny mewl of fear, I crawl back onto the bed and worm my way back under the blanket. When I close my eyes again, the pendant continues to call to me, like a siren song. Everything will be fine if I just place the pendant around my neck. My eyes fly open as I resist the strong compulsion to go searching for the odd piece of jewelry. It's safe with Zane, he won't allow it to harm me, and deep down I know that's just what it's meant to do. My eyes close again and exhaustion cla
ims my anxious mind in a restless sleep.

  ****

  The sound of the door opening awakens me. My dreams were disturbing, leaving me feeling queasy and distraught rather than rested. Keeping my eyes closed, I listen to Zane moving around the room. When he sits down on the bed next to me, I open my eyes, gazing up at him. The despondence in his eyes makes my heart ache, and I extend my arms out to him. He collapses down on top of me with his head resting on my chest. Holding him against me, I run my fingers through his hair. He releases a great sigh then rolls onto his side, propping his head up with his hand. My fingers caress his cheek, and he leans into my hand, his forlorn eyes never leaving mine. When his brow furrows, I move my fingers to trace the deep frown lines hoping to smooth them away. His lips curl up into a smile, a melancholy one, but a smile nonetheless.

  "Is there anything I can do to erase the sorrow from your eyes?" I ask. His smile falters a bit. I wish I'd kept my mouth shut.

  "I'll be okay. Really," he murmurs. "Please don't worry." The fake smile he forces his mouth into is much worse than the melancholy one. It makes my heart ache just watching him.

  "Did you find the tracking crystal you were searching for?" I ask, opting to try a change of topic.

  "Oh, yeah, it was underneath their wagon," he says. "I buried it out on the plains. Hopefully Delistaire won't notice it hasn't moved until long after they're gone."

  "Well that's good." I feel like we're skirting an important issue with small talk.

  "They're leaving for the desert tomorrow morning. I have a friend in Mariba who'll help them hide out for a while," he says in a flat tone.

  "Zane, when are you going to share what's really bothering you?"

  "I don't know what you mean," he says, refusing to meet my eyes. I cup his chin with my fingers and force his gaze to mine.

  "Zane, it's quite obvious you're in pain. Please talk to me. I can't stand seeing you like this." My eyes start to water. I glance down, trying to blink away the unshed tears.

  "You've been through so much," he murmurs. "I don't want to increase your burden." A teardrop escapes from my eye, and he wipes it away with his fingertip. "I don't want to be the cause of your tears."

  "Zane, you're scaring me," I whisper. "What can possibly be that bad?"

  "I'm originally from Algora," he says, refusing to meet my eyes. "I haven't been back in eight years but I'm technically Algoran."

  My mind reels. So Algora was the town responsible for his mother's execution. The anguish in his eyes when he meets mine is heartbreaking. Does he expect me to hate him? I fill my eyes with all the love and compassion I feel in my heart. He seems taken aback.

  "Where you're from doesn't matter to me," I say, running my finger along his cheekbone then down the tense line of his jaw.

  "I deceived you," he says, his eyes refusing to meet mine.

  "Funny, I don't remember asking where you were originally from. It seems rather irrelevant."

  "There's more." This time he locks his gaze onto mine. "Delistaire, the evil sorcerer, is my father."

  "I know… well, I mean I suspected ever since Emma mentioned your similar appearance at lunch. I'm glad you confided in me though."

  Taking his hand in mine, I brush feather kisses along his knuckles. The confusion on his face is comical. I guess my reaction isn't what he expected.

  "Promise you won't keep things from me anymore."

  "I promise. I have quite a bit more to tell you, but it can wait. All I want to do is lose myself in your embrace," he says with a genuine smile. It's a relief to see the pain in his eyes disappear, for the moment at least.

  "Well this is your lucky day then," I reply, holding my arms out to him. "That's all I want too." He falls into my arms, and I bury my face into his neck.

  "I won't let him hurt you," he whispers into my hair.

  "I won't let him hurt you either." My arms tighten around him. Holding him in my embrace, I listen to his breathing. When it becomes even and shallow, I allow myself to drift to sleep as well.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Nighttime Escapades

  Daylight is still filtering through the curtains on the window when I awaken. Neither Zane nor I shifted while we slept, leaving my muscles screaming in protest at the awkward position. I move out of his embrace and sit up, overcome by the dizzying effects of vertigo. My head feels like someone put my stiletto through it. I didn't think to pack any herbs for minor ailments, just the herbal healing potions from the apothecary. There's no way I'll waste part of a healing potion for a headache. When I try to stand, a wave of nausea hits me. I fall back down on the bed clutching my stomach with one hand and my head with the other. Zane crawls to my side.

  "Are you all right?" he asks, his voice full of concern.

  "Yeah, it's just a headache. Sorry I woke you," I reply, dropping my forehead into my palms, my fingers kneading the back of my skull.

  "I was already awake," he says, stroking my back. "I have an herb in my bag. It should help."

  I feel him rise from the bed but resist the urge to move my head afraid the vertigo will return. He returns and places the leaf in my hand.

  "It's bitter. I can make it into tea if you like."

  "No," I manage to squeak out.

  The herb tastes awful, making my stomach roil as I chew it up. Zane hands me a glass of water. I drain the contents, desperate to get the bitter taste from my mouth. Perhaps I should've waited for the tea and dumped at least half a cup of sugar in it.

  "Thanks," I murmur before falling back onto the bed and covering my eyes with my arm. "Any idea what time it is?"

  "Judging by the shadows it must be early evening. Why don't you stay here and rest. I need to go stock up on supplies. I'll bring back something for dinner as well," he says, rising from the bed.

  I roll onto my side and listen to him walk out the door, easing it closed behind him. Vicious pounding throbs through my skull, the sharp stabbing pains almost blinding. The herb begins to ease the pain until it finally reaches a bearable level. As I waver between oblivion and alertness on the bed, a nagging voice in the back of my head wonders if the pendant is somehow to blame.

  ****

  The evening flies by as we prepare to continue our journey. The trip over the mountains will take four days, but it seems Zane brought back enough supplies for at least one week. Game must be scarce in the mountains since he bought enough food for Shadow as well. The clothes I wore into the river have been cleaned, the bloodstains scrubbed out, and the tear in the side mended. I just love these Zodiac Inns! After everything is packed up, we share a quick dinner of roast beef sandwiches. Too much sleep today has me pacing around the room, trying to expel my nervous energy. My headache is gone, and I'm eager to go do something… anything! Zane stops me after several minutes.

  "I think we should head out tonight," he says, glancing over at the patio door. "We both got plenty of sleep today. Besides, I'm not sure how much longer I can stand watching you pace the floor like a caged forest leopard."

  "I thought it was more dangerous to travel at night," I comment, deciding to ignore the leopard jab.

  It would be difficult to see in the darkness. Our trip through the dark grass a few days ago was unpleasant, to say the least. I don't like not being able to see what may be hiding in the tall grasses, waiting to take a bite out of my leg.

  "The benefits are starting to outweigh the dangers. Now that Delistaire is involved, we need to mix things up. Becoming predictable will get us killed. We'll stick to the merchant trail for now," he says as he walks to the window, parting the curtains to peer outside. I nod my agreement. Thinking of the sorcerer reminds me of the strange pendant.

  "What're we gonna do with the pendant?" I ask, fearing the answer. "I'm afraid of it. It was calling to me earlier after you left to help Oscar find the tracking crystal. I think it caused my headache."

  "Is it still bothering you?" he asks, crossing the room to my side. "Have you noticed it at all in the last few hours?
"

  "No. Now that you mention it, I haven't felt its siren song at all," I murmur confused.

  "Good. I put a sealing spell on the pouch to contain the magic within," he says, pulling me into his embrace. "We have no choice but to keep the blasted thing. It has strong magical properties so it's best not to trifle with it." He pauses and meets my eyes. "Promise me you won't remove it from the pouch unless I give the okay."

  I nod my agreement. I'll have to press him for more details on the road.

  "So are you up to leaving tonight?"

  "If you think that's best, then sure." I'm anxious to continue the journey. "Should we go say goodbye to Oscar and Emma?"

  "No. I told them earlier we're leaving in the morning. If they pass any information to Delistaire, it'll be incorrect, giving us an edge," he says as he buckles his shoulder armor in place. Following suit, I pull on my gauntlet and finish attaching the bow and quiver to my pack. He helps me position the heavy pack between my shoulder blades then leads me to the patio door.

  "Sneaking out the back?" I can't help but chuckle a bit.

  "Something like that," he replies smirking.

  Shadow is waiting outside by the door. Sometimes his behavior is uncanny. How did he know we were leaving? The full moon lights up the sky, guiding our way along the merchant trail. A cool breeze rustles through my unbound hair bringing with it the pungent aroma of prairie grass. It's so quiet out here, so peaceful; it's difficult to believe we're on the run from a psychotic sorcerer. Shadow bounds down the road, disappearing from view. He races back, circling behind us before taking off again.

  "You'd think he would've burned up his energy earlier in our search for Ronan," I say, watching Shadow run and leap through the swaying grass like a pup.

  "I caught him napping on top of Oscar's wagon this afternoon," Zane says chuckling. "I'm pretty sure he slept all afternoon just like his mistress." His laughter is musical, and I find myself joining in.

  "Cut me some slack," I say with mock indignation. "I never get to nap in the afternoon. The last time I remember napping was sometime last year. Celeste and Brinda kept me up all night whispering about boys. I was so exhausted the next day I fell asleep on a tree branch while out hunting. It would've been funny had I not fallen out of the tree and broken my arm. I was unable to hunt for an entire month, not to mention being stuck in the house with two very annoying sisters." The memory makes me laugh. "I was so furious, and I did everything in my power to torment those two until the doctor removed my cast."