by F. P. Spirit
As the door closed behind him, Elladan took in his surroundings. He stood in a short, lushly carpeted corridor with two doors on either side, and a wide archway at the other end. The arch opened to a large room with a long table, covered with maps from end to end. A huge window framed the back wall, ornate purple curtains with gold trim drawn across its width.
Anya’s voice came from the open door to his right. “Elladan, care to join me?”
The elven bard took a few steps forward and peered through the open doorway. Beyond the door stood a luxurious room, decorated in gold and purple, with a large four-poster bed set against the opposite wall. His eyes swiftly fell on the Princess, his heart nearly skipping a beat.
Anya lay draped across the bed in a silky black crossover nightgown with gold lace edging. The gown had two thin straps that practical fell off the monarch’s creamy white shoulders, revealing far more of her bosom than before, if that were possible. As if that weren’t enough, the bottom of her gown was spread open wide, displaying Anya’s shapely legs well past her upper thighs.
Elladan took a deep breath, forcing himself to retain his composure. “Thank you for the invite, my lady. I thought you might have forgotten about me.”
Anya sat up and gave the bard a smoldering stare, her one strap falling dangerously down her arm. “Oh Elladan… how could I possibly forget about someone as handsome as you?”
A tiny laugh escaped her lips as she eyed the bard with blatant desire. Elladan felt his temperature rising, yet continued to meet her eyes, his tone smooth and low. “You are hard to forget as well, my lady.”
The flirtatious princess waved an arm at a small table next to her bed, playing further havoc with the straps of her gown. “Would you like something to drink?”
Elladan wasn’t quite sure just how much more of this he could take. He didn’t really trust Anya. At best, she was crazy. Yet, crazy or not, Anya was a beautiful woman, and his resolve was swiftly fading. The bard tore his eyes away from the exquisite princess, observing what appeared to be a full decanter of red wine on the table. Two empty glasses sat next to it.
Thankful for something else to focus on, the elven bard strode for the little table. “I’ll pour us some wine.”
“That would be lovely,” Anya purred, laying back down upon the bed.
Elladan poured a small sample into his glass and swirled it around, sniffing the wine’s bouquet. It had a fruity smell to it. He lifted the glass to his lips and tasted a sip of the red liquid. It was indeed fruity, with a hint of a smoky aftertaste.
“This is quite good,” he called over his shoulder.
“I’m glad you like it,” Anya responded. “It’s from my family’s personal vineyards.”
Elladan filled both glasses halfway, then steeled himself as he spun around. Anya lay across the bed with even more skin exposed than before. Elladan had thought to take out his lute, and delay things with a tune or two, but now he realized there was no keeping Anya at bay.
Well, Donnie asked me to keep the Princess entertained.
Elladan climbed onto the bed next to Anya and handed her a glass of wine. She sat up partway and took the glass, her entire top finally giving in to gravity. Elladan took a sip from his own glass, then gave her one of his most charming smiles, resigning the rest of the night to fate.
A couple of hours passed when Donnie’s eyes snapped open again. The wiry elf sat up and glanced around, then stole over to where Alana sat. He leaned in close, querying her in a soft voice. “Any sign of Elladan?”
Alana shook her head. “He has not returned.”
Donnie gave her a short nod, then quietly went over to wake Aksel. Alana followed close behind. The little cleric woke and sat up, still somewhat bleary-eyed. He gazed up at Alana and stretched, asking with a half-yawn, “What time is it?”
Alana folded her arms across her chest. “About two in the morning.”
Aksel, still somewhat fuzzy-headed, half-mumbled, “I guess that’s enough time…”
Donnie immediately took that as a ‘yes’ to go ahead. “Good. I’ll get Glo.”
The slight elf spun on his heel, but Alana immediately stepped in his way. If Aksel was too tired to think straight, she would have to reign in the impetuous elf herself. “Invisible, or not, how do you intend to get past the guards? The moment you open the door, they’ll know something is up.”
Donnie halted in his tracks, and gazed up at her questioningly with those light blue eyes. His answer was glib as usual. “I’m sure I’ll think of something.”
The thin elf went to step around her, when Alana reached out and grabbed him by the arm. She thought he might react this way and had prayed for a solution. Luckily, Cormar was feeling exceptionally generous this night. He had given her an idea that would most definitely work on both Donnie and the two male soldiers guarding the door below decks.
“I’ve already thought of something,” Alana told him, turning toward the doorway and dragging him with her.
“Alana, wait!” Donnie hissed. “Just what do you have—”
He never got to finish his words. She spun on her heel, bent down, and kissed the elf on his full, luscious lips. She had intended to merely shut him up, but nearly lost herself in the moment.
Donnie’s mouth was warm to the touch, and his scent was heady at this close proximity. Alana wanted nothing more than to drink him in, but she forced herself to pull away. When she spoke, her tone was far firmer than she felt. “That will be our cover.”
Donnie gazed up at her with a boyish grin. “Oh. That will work.”
Alana merely nodded, not trusting herself to say more. That short, simple kiss had left butterflies in her stomach. She quietly led Donnie out the door and onto the main deck of the Wind Hammer.
It was warm outside, a gentle breeze blowing across the deck on this clear mid-summer night. The inky blackness of the night sky was alight with the stars of numerous constellations. Yet their light was drowned out by the incandescent blue of the elemental ring that spun high above their heads. Its bright glow cast an eerie sheen across the flying vessel.
The main deck was clear at this late hour, except for two figures leaning casually on either side of the door that led below. Both figures snapped to attention as soon as Alana and Donnie stepped out onto the deck.
Not missing a beat, Donnie gave the naval men a smooth nod, then wove his arm through Alana’s and led her over to the rail. Once there, Donnie gazed up at her, his expression only partially visible in the dim blue light. When he spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper. “I owe you an apology.”
Alana wanted to chastise him for his behavior earlier, but the thin elf suddenly moved in closer, wrapping both arms around her waist. He was surprisingly strong for one of his slight stature.
Alana answered carefully, not trusting her own voice. “Apology… accepted.”
The handsome young elf pulled her even closer, then leaned in, his head tilting ever so slightly. Without realized it, Alana responded in kind. Their lips met and the rest of the world faded away.
Elistra Moonglow lay in her bunk, silently watching the cabin around her. She had tried closing her eyes, but sleep somehow managed to evade her this night. The psionic emanations she had felt before only grew stronger as the night progressed, as if someone were slowly turning up a dial.
When the Princess of Lanfor first appeared, Elistra assumed her an apprentice of the Dragon Thrall Master. Yet it was unlike the Thrall Masters to share their secrets. Now that they were aboard Anya’s ship, her control over dragons began to make sense.
From what Elistra knew of psionics, the Princess might indeed be able to bend young dragons to her will. It was not impossible, but it would take an immense amount of psychic power—far more than any one individual could produce. So, either an entire group of powerful psionicists were at wo
rk here, or there was some sort of artifact involved that could augment psionic energy.
Elistra’s money was on the latter. Individuals with that kind of psychic power were few and far between, and most did not get along well with others. Still, Elistra knew of only one person who could obtain such a rare artifact and show someone how to use it. My brother.
A chill ran up Elistra’s spine at the thought. Her brother was a dangerous man. He was not necessarily evil, but he wasn’t good either. He would do whatever it took to achieve his goals, and woe be to anyone who got in his way. Even his own sister.
If her brother were indeed involved with the Princess, then they were all in danger—far more danger than from a handful of young dragons and a few mage cannons.
The seeress’ shoulders sagged in defeat. It appeared her time here was almost up. It was a shame, really. She liked this persona she had developed—the seeress, Elistra. It had served her well, but she could no longer justify the pretense if it put the Heroes in danger. They were not quite ready to face her brother. Not yet, anyway.
Elistra pushed up off her cot, and peered around the wall that separated her from the next bunk. A pair of familiar blue eyes stared back at her.
“I guess you couldn’t sleep, either,” Glo whispered.
A genuine smile crossed Elistra’s face. “Uh-uh.”
She slowly sauntered around the wall, then suddenly threw herself onto Glo’s bed. She landed with a soft laugh, her head falling into his lap.
The flaxen-haired elf stared down at her, his eyes lit with mirth. A smile graced his usually stoic features. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who made me laugh as much as you.”
Elistra grinned up at the young elf, her voice hushed. “I could say the same.”
He reached down and stroked her hair, crooning softly as he did so. “Dear lady, I do believe you have stolen my heart.”
Tears suddenly welled up in the seeress’ eyes. Gods, she would miss him. No one had made her feel this alive in ages. In fact, she had nearly forgotten what it was like to feel at all. A pang of sorrow abruptly ran through her, wrenching her gut. For a brief moment, she sincerely wished she were this Elistra. As a simple seeress, she would most definitely have been happy with Glo.
“What’s the matter? Are you crying?” Glo’s brow furrowed as he stared down at her.
Elistra blinked, wiping the back of her hand across her face, then slowly shook her head. “No, just got something in my eye.”
The forlorn seeress reached out and touched Glo’s face, her heart nearly breaking as she did so. Unfortunately, happiness was not in the cards for her—she had other responsibilities. The main one at the moment was curtailing Anya’s control of these dragons. If her brother were truly behind this as she suspected, then that would throw a wrench into his plans.
Glo lifted her hand from his cheek and kissed the palm. “You, my dear, are a terrible liar. You know you can tell me anything. If something is wrong, maybe I can help.”
A d expression crossed her face. She really wished she could tell him the truth, but then he would insist on going with her and protecting her. He was a such a giving soul. She absolutely loved that about him.
Love? Did I actually just use that word? You are getting soft. Keep this up, and your brother will catch you for sure.
“It’s nothing, really,” she lied once more. “I think I’m just tired is all.”
“Then rest here with me.”
Glo shifted on the bed behind her, pulling her down with him. The look in his eyes practically melted her heart, but the warmth of his body aroused her in other ways.
Elistra lifted her head up to his and tilted it slightly until their lips barely touched. A feeling like electricity coursed through her body, making her tingle all over. She then proceeded to kiss him in earnest, their lips dancing all around each other.
She lost all track of time, not knowing whether a minute or a lifetime had passed when she finally pulled her lips from his. Her breath came in short ragged bursts, the two of them lying there with their foreheads touching. A grin spread across her face that just wouldn’t go away.
“Is that any better?” he whispered softly as he grinned back.
“Much,” she practically purred in response.
The seeress spun her body around and snuggled into him, allowing the handsome blonde elf to cuddle her from behind. A contented sigh escaped her lips as he wrapped his strong arms around her torso. It was the safest and most loved she had felt in a very, very long time. Yet her inner voice would not let her enjoy it for long.
You’re not safe, you know, and neither is he. If you really love him, you need to let him go.
Elistra let out a regretful sigh. There were things far greater at work here than any of them realized. The Thrall Wars had never really ended. At least two of the great Thrall Masters had resurfaced, maybe even three. Add her brother to the mix, and they would snuff out this world and everything in it. It would take a miracle for Arinthar to survive.
It will if I have anything to say about it.
Across the room, Donnie rose and strode over toward Aksel for the second time that night. On his first attempt, he had woken the sleeping cleric, only to be dragged out on deck by Alana. The duo returned a short while later and reported the door to the lower decks was still under guard.
Upon hearing their account, Aksel had decided it best to wait a while longer. Now, it appeared the impatient elf wanted to try again. After a brief discussion, Aksel rose and the duo headed their way, Alana trailing close behind.
Glo and Elistra sat up to greet them, the slight elf the first to respond in a hushed voice. “It’s around four in the morning. If we don’t do this thing now, we’ll lose any chance we have.”
“What about the guards?” Alana asked, her voice laced with apprehension.
Elistra noted the protective way Alana stood over Donnie. The lady knight’s eyes were filled with far more than mere concern. Elistra’s own relationship was doomed, but these two at the very least deserved a chance at love. The seeress pushed herself up off the bed. “I’ll take care of them.”
Alana’s dark eyes turned toward Elistra. “And how are you going to…”
She abruptly stopped her query, her eyes going wide as she watched Elistra. The seeress stripped off all her clothes except for her undergarments.
“What are you doing?” Glo’s voice sounded both confused and concerned.
The seeress spun around and put out a hand toward the tall elf. “Can I borrow your robe?”
“Um… sure…” came the mystified reply. Glo grabbed the purple garment strewn at the base of his bunk and proffered it to her.
A wry expression crossed Donnie’s face as Elistra wrapped Glo’s robe around her torso. “Oh, I see. You’re going to be the distraction.”
“Exactly,” Elistra said with a nod. The tall elf’s vestment was large on her, but she compensated by rolling up the sleeves and hiking it up around her waist. When she was done, she swept her eyes between Glo and Donnie, motioning for them to move. “Well, get on with it already. We don’t have all day.”
Elistra strode past the others, toward the door, calling back over her shoulder. “I’ll go on ahead. Hurry up and follow me.”
With that, the seeress opened the door and stepped through the threshold. It was still dark at this early hour, but the deck was bathed in the soft blue glow of the elemental ring that propelled the vessel. The door below decks stood not five feet away, next to it a solitary guard. The airman glanced up at her as she exited the door.
A brief vision of Glo’s hurt face passed before her eyes, but then the seeress hardened her resolve, pushing it away. She sauntered forward toward the waiting guard, purposely letting the front of her robe fall open.
Lost and Found
Fix her? Who is she? How is she broken?
Stop squirmin’! Don’t move!” Kalyn hissed at the struggling slave. Instantly, the girl stopped moving and her hazy eyes stared blankly at Kalyn. Kalyn dropped her hand from the girl’s mouth and felt her throat tighten up.
The girl looked to be about sixteen. She was thin and clearly malnourished. She had long, unkempt honey brown hair, and her facial features, especially her button nose, reminded Kalyn of someone.
Kalyn’s eyes drifted down to the girl’s neck, where a dirty necklace hung. She reached out and gently picked up the pendant, running her thumb over a filthy and cracked stone that had been carved into the likeness of a turtle. She turned it over, and her eyes filled with moisture when she saw the mark of her grandfather on the underbelly of the turtle.
She looked back up and into the girl’s eyes, and realized there was no mistaking her. Although she had matured some and was terribly thin, she still looked the same as she had when she was four years old.
“What’s your name?” she asked softly.
The girl blinked her blank eyes before whispering in a monotone voice. “Kia.”
Kalyn’s lip began to tremble. She brushed some of the dirt off the girl’s cheek and combed a matted strand of hair back. “Kia, it’s me. Don’t you recognize me? I’m your sister, Kalyn.”
The girl blinked, her blank eyes shifting away and staring into nothing.
Kalyn’s heart sank. “What have they done to you?”
“We live to serve.” The girl whispered again, her voice taking on an eerie edge to it.
“What in the hell are you doing?! I told you to stay here, out of sight!”
Kalyn whirled around and found Seth standing next to her, hands on his hips and an expression on his face that could have made an orc bleed to death. She wiped her left eye, clearing away the tears that had collected on her lashes. “Seth, I thought she was dead. Half Skull took her away from me when she was four years old. They’ve done something to her. She doesn’t even know who I am.”