by Riley Moreno
It spoke, the sound of his voice like bone grating on bone, piercing and impossible to ignore. Hazel heard him speak in her mind.
“My darling witch. My deliverer. My rescuer.”
“No, no, no.” She whispered the words over and over to herself, trying to block out the vicious glee that seeped from his voice.
“Oh yes, sweet witch. Yes. Yes. Yes.” Each time he spoke she could feel each syllable stab into her, dragging out again with excruciating pain. She had her hands on either side of her head, pressing, trying to ease the torment, to block out his litany.
“I am coming for you, my tender one. I will spill your blood, I will tear you apart. But I will make it sweet for you, I will make it….Ahh!” the formless, flame filled shape shouted in sudden shock as Hazel focused, building the heat of the fire hotter and hotter, intent on incinerating him. Anything to stop the words, the terrible words, he was spewing.
“I am coming, witch. Your power saved you this time, but I am coming. I am coming for you. I am coming. I am…” The words repeated, echoing over and over again until each time was like a spike being hammered through her mind.
She screamed, wordless and rage filled, she screamed until her throat felt raw and bloody. Screaming, screaming…
“Hazel! Hazel, wake up!”
It took a moment for her to realize where she was. No longer in that place of fire, she felt out and realized she was still lying on her bed, in her bedroom, in her house. And there was someone else there with her. Fear still clung to her like grease from the terrible nightmare and she shrieked a little, her eyes popping open but her racing heart beat slowed when she saw Jayce’s now familiar face.
“Oh, my god, you scared me! What are you doing in my room?”
“What am I doing?” He sounded exasperated as he reached for her, scooping her up in his strong arms, ignoring her squawk of protest. “I am saving you.”
“Saving me? Saving me from what?”
Jayce turned slightly so that she could see even as he continued moving out of the room. Her violet eyes widened in shock at the destruction of her room. Nika was busy putting out the fire that still tried to lick up the drapes, the desk was charred to a crisp and the rug was still smoking in places.
“What...What happened?”
“You happened, sweet witch.”
“No, don’t. Don’t call me that.” Hazel shivered again in his arms and he must have read some of her anxiety because he tightened them, not letting her go until she was tucked firmly next to him on the big overstuffed couch in the living room, a blanket wrapped around her and a steaming hot mug of tea with a generous splash of bourbon forced into her hands.
Jayce and Nika sat on either side of her, all fires safely put out, and it looked like Nika had borne the brunt of firefighter duties. There was ash smeared on his cheeks and forehead and a slight burn on his fingertips that made Hazel cringe every time she saw it.
“Now, tell us what happened.” Nika said as he sat forward, urging her to take another sip when he noticed her trembling
“I don’t really know. I was sleeping. I had a nightmare…” Hazel trailed off, memories of that awful dream rising like the smoke that now stained her bedroom, “It was terrible. I had a nightmare about Eidolon of all things.”
They both immediately sat up, their expressions growing much more concerned and it didn’t help her contain her fear at all.
“What happened in the dream? Tell us exactly what happened.” The seriousness in Jayce’s voice had her sitting on the edge of the couch. She didn’t want to relive those memories but there was something in his shining, golden eyes that compelled her to anyways.
“Well, there was a lot of fire, and then he was just there, sort of floating in the flames, or maybe he was part of the flames, I’m not really sure,” Hazel struggled to find the right words to describe the nightmare, “He was just...powerful. Really powerful. He made me feel so small, and then he said…” she stopped again, this time Jayce wrapped an arm around her shoulder, holding her tight against his chest.
“What did he say?”
“He said I was his deliverer,” Hazel shivered in his warm grasp, “He said he was coming for me. That he, that he was going to drain my blood. He is going to try and kill me.” She ended on the barest whisper, and Jayce tightened his grip even more, reclining until she was almost laying down on top of him, wrapped snuggly in the blanket and his embrace. Nika reached out, rubbing his hand gently up and down her calf, soothing her.
“It’s okay, it’s over now. Just go back to sleep.”
“Will you stay with me?” Hazel whispered, her eyes already sliding shut as exhaustion once more overtook her.
“Of course, little witch. We’ll be here.” Nika said softly, but she was already asleep. He looked over at Jayce who still had his arms around her and found the same expression burning in his gold eyes that he was sure was in his own silver. With a sigh, he settled back on the couch, his hand never leaving its spot on Hazel’s leg.
Chapter 9
The next morning dawned way too early for Hazel’s exhausted mind. The night before had taken its toll and she was feeling a little ragged as she slugged around the kitchen desperately waiting for the coffee to brew. Nika walked into the room, his own silver eyes looking a little haggard as he sat in one of the too small dining chairs. It creaked a little as he shifted.
“What is that smell?” He finally asked.
“Coffee.” Hazel sighed with near fanatical worship. She couldn’t start her day without a cup of strong black coffee. “You want some?”
He just shrugged, not saying anything for a long moment. “I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know?”
“Well, I’ve never had it before.”
Hazel thought her jaw would just dislocate and drop to the floor it flopped open so fast as she stared at him in dismayed shock. “What? What?”
“Hazel, I’ve been trapped in a magic prison for the past several hundred years. I guess...I guess I’ve missed a lot.”
For the first time, Hazel realized how hard this must be for them, waking up to realize that your time had passed you by, everyone you knew long gone.
“It is.” He just said softly, and there was a sadness in his eyes that she would have done anything to eradicate. Well, there was one thing she could certainly do. The coffee pot beeped, announcing that its delicious contents were ready. Grabbing two cups, she filled them both to the brim and walked it over to the small table, setting one in front of Nika and holding the other in front of her mouth, blowing on it gently to cool it down before taking a big gulp and sighing in bliss.
“Go on, try it.”
“What does it taste like?”
“It tastes like coffee, just go on. Stop being a baby, and try it.” He gave her an arch look, making his sharply chiseled face look extremely aristocratic as he glanced dubiously at the dark liquid before gingerly lifting the cup.
“Wait! You have to blow on it first. It’s really hot.” She grabbed the mug from him, “You don’t want to burn yourself, do you?” Hazel pursed her lips, showing him how it was done, blowing until it was cool enough to drink. She set the cup back down in front of him, finally glancing up and freezing at the look in his mercurial gaze. She definitely didn’t need to be able to read minds to tell what he was thinking and she hastily turned away before her own thoughts could get her into trouble.
She heard a sipping noise from behind her, followed by a deep moan that had her trembling despite her best intentions. It sounded absolutely sinful, that moan. Hazel took a deep breath before turning back around. Nika face was buried in the mug of hot coffee as Jayce walked in, a small notebook held open in his hands.
“Jayce, you have to try this,” Nika said, his voice sounded like he had just tasted heaven. Hazel knew exactly how he felt.
“I know, right? So good!”
“What? Try what?”
“Coffeeee.” Nika drew out the word o
n a sigh as he took another swallow. Jayce stared at them both for a moment like they were lunatics before shaking his head, all seriousness as he turned to face Hazel.
“I’ve been thinking.”
“That’s never good.” Nika interrupted with a small smile. Jayce sent him a glare before continuing.
“As I was saying,” he said, with one more preemptive look forestalling any more unwanted comments from Nika, “I was thinking we need to give Hazel the Archon’s test.”
Nika stopped his smirking, his light brown brows rising in consideration.
“Jayce, that’s actually…brilliant.” He said slowly.
“You don’t have to sound quite so surprised.”
Hazel glanced from one man to the other, continuing to talk over her head as if she wasn’t even there.
“Whoa,” she interrupted, “What even is this Archer test?”
“No, no. Not Archer. Archon. It’s a way the ancient council of nine tested new initiates.”
She looked at Jayce hesitatingly. “Tested them for what, exactly?”
“Well, for magic.’” Nika explained, and suddenly their roles were reversed. Now, she was the one who was in the dark. The one who didn’t understand.
“There’s a magic…test?”
“Of course.” He sounded like he was explaining something to a child and it set her teeth on edge. “They couldn’t let just any old magic wielder join the council. They only admitted those of the highest caliber.”
“And you think this test will work on me?” Hazel asked them doubtfully, all of her old insecurities rising up to the surface. All of her life she had been told she wasn’t good enough. Wasn’t as strong as she should be, or as clever as she should be, and even now, as an adult, it was hard to move past those insipid doubts.
“Hazel, you are stronger, so much stronger, than you think you are.” She blushed again as Jayce read her thoughts so easily.
“It’s really not fair, you know.” Hazel sulked, and both of them just smiled softly in return. Somehow, she didn’t think the men were as bothered by their one sided communication as she was. “Well, what do I have to do for this test thingy?”
Jayce sent her an exasperated sigh, “We will guide you through this test thingy, and hopefully break through whatever you have that is blocking your magic, making it harder for you to reach that power inside of you.”
If there really is anything there blocking her, she thought cynically. She had struggled for years to get control over the spark that she knew lay hidden deep inside her, and she failed every, single, painful time. After so many years, it was hard to work up even a smidgen of optimism that it would work now.
“Well,” Hazel said again, throwing up her hands in acquiescence, “are we going to do this thing, or what?”
“We need to go to a place you can focus, really focus. Where you can shut out everything else.”
“The attic,” She answered Jayce immediately. “I have everything we might need for a spell or rite is up there already.”
But Nika was already shaking his head. “The attic is great, but there are no spells to cast, no rituals.”
“Then how–.”
“This is just you, and you alone. We will guide you, but in the end it is only you who can break through to reach your power.”
“Alright,” Hazel sighed, still not believing that this test would actually work, “Let’s go.”
Within moments, they were upstairs in the large, finished attic room that Hazel had spent so many countless hours fighting herself, trying to reach that secret part of herself. And countless more sobbing as she failed over and over and over again. Hazel took a seat cross legged in the middle of the floor, clutching her mug of coffee to her chest as she stared up at Jayce.
“Put the coffee down, Hazel.”
She played the mental image of a junkyard dog growling over his favorite bone and both of them laughed. It made her smile, and it also made Hazel wonder what else she could communicate to them through this new found connection.
“Hazel…” Nika warned, and they must have picked up on the mischief bubbling up inside her.
“Okay, okay. Just hold on to your horses.”
“I don’t have any horses.” Nika said, and she cast him a sideways glance, positive he was messing with her, but his voice and expression were dead serious. It wasn’t until she caught the laughing glint in his silver hued eyes that she let out a small chuckle of her own. Finally, she set the mug of coffee to the side.
Jayce sat in front of her, instantly absorbing all of her attention as he stared at her with his piercing golden gaze.
“Okay,” Hazel said, more breathlessly that she had intended, “what’s next?”
Jayce inhaled, deep and slow and steady, and instinctively she mimicked his movements. A heavy silence fell over the room, as if gravity itself had just increased a little, time slowing so that she could watch every dust mote catch in the morning light that shone through the big windows, falling slowly amidst a million sparkling brothers and sisters.
“Just breathe, and focus.” Nika said so softly that she almost didn’t hear him. Hazel realized that he was right behind her and moved to look back at him over one shoulder but his gentle touch stopped her.
“Look at Jayce, watch the way he is breathing, his focus, just do what he does.” Nika’s words whispered past her ear, and she tried to do what said, but Hazel couldn’t ignore his presence behind her.
Suddenly, the air itself felt charged, crackling with electricity. For the first time in as long as she could remember, Hazel felt a breath of optimism flare through her. Maybe this would actually work, maybe all she had been missing all those long, pain filled years was the presence of two hotter than sin dragon warriors.
Before her thoughts could drift any farther away, Jayce’s voice interrupted. “Hazel,” he said sharply, “focus on me.” He inhaled deeply again, “follow my breaths.”
Hazel watched his chest, trying desperately to do what he asked and a tingling started deep in her center as they all sat, breathing together.
“Now, feel inside. Slowly, calmly, step by step. Go in, past your skin, past muscle and bone…”
As he spoke, her thoughts drifted. She followed his direction, his words sinking into her and her eyes slid shut despite herself. He continued his soft, deeply spoken litany, and Hazel could feel herself drawing deeper inside herself.
A heat started to grow. It started as an ember, rocking through her body in waves. She focused on that heat, reaching for it, and suddenly it was a conflagration, burning her up.
“Hazel, wait…” She was barely aware of Nika’s voice over the white noise pounding in her ears, her body writhing as the ache stared to grow, overwhelming her senses.
“Stop, Hazel, focus…” But she didn’t hear him. She was on fire, desire and lust stronger than she’d ever felt before racking her body. She felt the floor move beneath her and suddenly there were hands on her, pulling her even closer.
Jayce’s mouth was hard on hers, feeding her urgency, his tongue pushing past her lips, her front pressed solidly against Jayce’s, and their bodies fused together as both of them exploded.
“Jayce. Jayce, stop…” Nika’s voice washed helplessly over both of them. Nika grabbed Jayce by his shoulders, pulling him back. Jayce growled into Hazel’s mouth, and she threw her arms around him, desperate to keep him right where she needed him.
Nika gave one more jerk using all of his strength to pull Jayce off of her as he started to rip her shirt, tearing the fabric to try and reach bare skin.
“Jayce!” he shouted with one more mighty pull, finally detaching them and shoving Jayce towards the door. Jayce fought the whole time, his golden eyes molten on Hazel’s own burning violet.
“Go, Jayce. Get out of here!” Nika said, his voice as hard as his expression. Jayce finally turned around, his own face mutinous but listening to Nika’s directive as he stomped down the stairs.
Nika turned to give
her one last look, still sitting on her knees now in the middle of the room, breathless and trembling and burning as he turned to follow Jayce out of the attic.
Chapter 10
“Come on, grandma.” Hazel whispered roughly, “Give me something.” She continued to rifle through books and ancient texts, desperate for some answer, some clue. Hazel’s mind drew up the memories from that morning despite her best efforts and it had her heart racing wildly all over again. That had been unexpected. She laughed slightly, if a touch cynically, at the gross understatement.
The fire that had exploded between them still sat, hot and buried, barely contained. She could still feel it there and knew it would take nothing at all to send her up in flames again. She thought of Jayce, and not being able to look either one of them in the eye since earlier that morning. With a jolt, Hazel realized she had been sitting in the middle of her grandmother’s study, staring off into space for several long minutes.
With a shake of her head at her own foolishness, she continued to flip through the stack of old, leather bound books in front of her. Hazel felt like she had gone through everything there was to go through two hours later after combing through the last dusty shelf.
Just as she turned, brimming with disappointment at not finding any clues about the dark spirit Eidolon or her mysterious connection with the smoking hot dragon warriors, something drew her eye to the green velvet high backed chair sitting in the corner of the room.
It was covered in a fine layer of dust and motes danced in the streams of sunlight that surrounded it, coming from the large, stained glass arched window just behind it. There was a hand knit throw blanket draped casually over the side of the arm as if her grandmother had just got up and would be back at any moment, but Hazel knew that wasn’t true.
Still, something drew her closer. As she neared, there was a glint as something caught the light, bringing her gaze down to the short stack of books and scrawled notes hidden beside the chair. She had missed those in her search before, but a spark of hope fired through her again as she leaned to pick up the two books.