by Leela Ash
“I don’t know,” Leika said with a shrug. “Maybe.”
By then, the other driver returned and rummaged through the basket.
“Dammit Tolu,” he snapped. “I told you to bring the pickled radishes! You know how my stomach is on long trips like these.”
Tolu turned sheepishly away from Leika and began to engage his friend in conversation, leaving her alone to take in the sights and sounds of the forest around them. If seeing Lopu really was going to be an honor, what did all of this mean?
CHAPTER 5
Cherin was ready to pounce when he heard the surly shifter’s voice raise when he returned to the wagon where Leika was sitting, hostage to their foul moods and banter. If he was angry about anything concerning her, he would be on the rampage in a heartbeat. Even if it got him kicked out of the army, he would do anything to defend Leika.
Soon it became clear that it was just a general dispute among friends, and Cherin relaxed. He took out his own small container of rations and ate moodily, watching the wagon for any signs that it might continue moving. He was going to trail them all the way to Rallah and make sure that nothing happened to them.
He was well aware of the things that went bump in the night. Many creatures found Kaldernon to be a hospitable place. Its environment suited many species, and the rich air and sweet water was favored by the majority of races that visited their humble planet. Many had stayed in secret, waiting for their chance to strike.
Fortunately, he was well trained for combat and had made damn sure that Leika was the same. She was too special and talented to be defenseless in a world like theirs. No matter what anybody said, it wasn’t a good idea to train only the shifters to be strong. The sensitive and artistic Lonis probably needed the training more than anybody. It took barely anything to rock their worlds right down to the foundation.
Leika had never been the sort to let things shake her up, though. It was part of what he loved about her. she took everything in and mulled it over, running every piece of information through a variety of filters in her mind. In a matter of milliseconds, she would be able to dissect, analyze, and sort any complicated data that came her way without forming too emotional an opinion about it. Cherin secretly guessed that she had an equal mixture of Loni and shifter capabilities, but he had never been brave enough to speak about such possibilities out loud. Especially not when her father was a very rigid conservative who believed in the idea that women should act as Lonis and men as shifters to protect their families.
The dogma was laughable to most, especially to broad-minded men like Cherin, but the older generations liked to stick with their mentality. The older they got the more convinced they became that the world was better when everybody had a role and knew their place in making the world go round. Simple labels were as good as personalities.
Still, Leika’s father had to admit his daughter was complex. That was part of the reason he had agreed to send her to Rallah for her studies. It worked out well for everyone involved, really, and had given her an opportunity to express herself outside the oppressive thumb of her father.
The old man had always intimidated Cherin. He was wild and well-respected for his noble efforts in physical battle. He kept the clans safe, that was undeniable. Maybe if Leika had been blessed with any other kind of father, Cherin would have felt free to explore his feelings for her in a deeper way. But the idea that her father could read his mind made him feel even more adamant about making sure his feelings and thoughts about Leika were as platonic as possible. He didn’t need a decorated hero giving him the look of death every time he wanted to come in and share a meal with his best friend. Keeping things simple this way was best. Even if it meant he would never have the chance to explore the jarring way Leika’s deep eyes made him feel, or the forbidden, sensual aspects of the dreams he had with her in them. It was all just funny and bizarre aspects of growing up. And that would be the lie he fed himself until one of two things happened. Either Leika would confess to ridiculous and secret feelings she’d had all along – which, he knew, was impossible and as laughable as saying her father would one day encourage Leika to explore her shifter lineage – or the old man would turn over a new leaf or die, leaving them both free to explore their options.
Without something along those lines happening, he would happily be the best friend and unavailable love interest of the hundreds of girls in the clan who hated Leika simply because he found her more interesting than they were.
Suddenly, the carriage began to move again and Cherin shoved the rest of his food in his mouth. He would have to keep it up as long as it took, and if she needed him, he would be there. If there was one thing Cherin wanted, it was that Leika would always know that she could count on him.
***
Night began to fall and the pull of the carriage was hypnotic and tiring. Leika had tried to fight sleep all day, but there was precious little for her to do. She had brought a few books along for the ride, but found out the hard way that reading while moving made her feel motion sick. She chose to occupy her time instead by staring out the window as the landscape passed behind her, making notes of the wild animals she saw frolicking in their habitats and the small, steady streams of water she found trickling unexpectedly along the way.
Eventually, sleep won out and she had no choice but to surrender to her heavy eyelids. They stopped for a couple other meals before finally making camp late that night. Leika was grateful for a chance to rest her legs, and couldn’t wait to try taking a walk. Unfortunately, the drivers wouldn’t let her go too far off without them, so she had to make do by walking circles around the campfire, coming up with new songs as she did so. The men were shifters, and enjoyed her musical abilities, so she hummed out loud and shared her gifts of song with them. A few times she could have sworn that she heard somebody in the distance whistling along with her, but that was common in a world full of Lonis. She was used to others joining her in song and sharing music.
Still, something about the whistle made her listen closely. It almost seemed familiar somehow. But that was impossible. Leika had never met anybody outside of her own hometown or outside of the capital city of Rallah. After dinner, she asked permission to go relieve herself. It had been a while and she had been trying to make sure the men guarding her would trust her when she asked. When Leika finished, she washed her hands in a nearby stream and was startled when a dark figure appeared before her.
“Cherin!” she exclaimed, her heart thudding hard in her chest. He looked handsome in the moonlight, his blonde hair silver and his eyes glowing kindly.
“My lady,” he said with a mock bow. She slapped him, feeling slightly hurt that he might make fun of her for her ridiculous attraction to him.
“What in the world are you doing here?” Leika demanded.
“I couldn’t just watch you leave!” Cherin exclaimed. “Not without any good reason. I’m here to protect you. Whatever the cost.”
Leika rolled her eyes. “I don’t need anybody to take care of me. You made sure of that yourself.”
“Still,” Cherin said, his eyes suddenly serious. “I would like to tag along. But don’t tell anyone that I’m here.”
“Are you crazy? They’d lynch me if they knew. What about your parents? Don’t you need to stay back and help them?”
Cherin grinned.
“They needn’t know I’m gone. I left a note saying I’m hunting for the week. I’ll be back before they know it.”
“Hurry back, miss!” one of the drivers shouted. “Dangerous out there at night.”
“See,” Cherin whispered. “Dangerous! There’s a reason I’m here!”
“You stay out of sight!” Leika hissed. “Better yet, go home!”
“Not a chance,” Cherin said stubbornly. Leika groaned in frustration and he beamed, causing her heart to flutter despite herself. This was the last thing she had expected.
When she arrived back at the camp, she stayed alert for any sign that they might have been overhear
d. Thankfully, the drivers seemed oblivious and soon they were all laying down beside the campfire, one man sleeping with one eye open in case of danger. But Cherin would take care of any danger that came their way during the night. Somehow, knowing that made her feel safe in a way that she hadn’t since she had been summoned by Lopu. One way or another, things would work out. And if she was going to be honest with herself, she was really glad to know that Cherin was there. It was nice to know that she wasn’t alone after all.
CHAPTER 6
The second day went by with only a few moments of sleep for Cherin. He didn’t feel comfortable leaving Leika without his protection. Fortunately, shifters were built for long, hard treks, and he was able to partially shift to harness some of the excess energy available to him in Dragon form. It was hard on his body, but it was worth it to make sure that his friend was safe. There was no telling what might happen on the road, especially to a young, beautiful Loni woman like Leika stranded by herself with two older men. Whether Lopu trusted them or not, there was always a possibility that one or both of them might stray the course of honorability.
Cherin was able to speak with Leika a couple of times throughout the day, and was warmed when she brought him some food. It helped to peak his energy levels and keep him on his guard. By the end of the night, he was exhausted, but had only one day left to go. He would do anything to keep her safe.
“Are you all right?” Leika asked him the third and final night that the drivers had set up their camp.
“Of course,” Cherin said quickly, straightening his slumping shoulders. “Aren’t you?”
“I’ve had nothing to do but sleep. You look like you haven’t rested in days.”
“I’m perfectly fine, thank you very much.”
Leika’s purple eyes grew dark and she looked down at the ground. “I wish you would take a break. Please just sleep tonight.”
“I said I’m fine!” Cherin barked. Leika flinched and he immediately felt terrible. They almost never spoke to each other in harsh tones, and he was crestfallen to see the pain in her eyes when his words reached her.
“I’m sorry,” he said, moving close to her and taking her delicate hands in his own. He brought one to his lips and she inhaled sharply. “You’re right, I haven’t been sleeping well since the journey began. I just want to see to it that you’re safe. Nothing is more important to me than that.”
Leika raised her eyes to meet his, and he was taken aback by their beauty. Before he knew what he was doing, he was pressing his lips against hers and closing his eyes. It felt so much better than he had ever anticipated, and her lips tugged at his as she pressed her hand against his chin, leaving a tingling feeling on his face when it dropped back to her side. Suddenly, she pulled away.
“Cherin, what are you thinking?” Leika asked, her purple eyes wide with horror. “You’re my best friend. That’s not what we do. Get some sleep. I’m begging you.”
Leika stared meaningfully at him as she backed out of the woods. He stood awkwardly, feeling like a child who had just been scolded. Of course he would feel that way. She had just rejected his advances. And he knew exactly why. Their relationship wasn’t like that. His sleep deprivation had simply gotten the better of him.
He sighed loudly and climbed high into a tree. Maybe Leika was right. Maybe it was best if he got some rest. The journey into the capital city was almost complete and nothing had happened. The drivers had proved to be competent enough. Still, that was partly what worried him. What if they were competent so that nobody would be able to rescue Leika from their grasp? There was really no way of knowing.
Before he could think too much about it, his body’s need for rest overpowered him. Cherin’s heavy eyelids closed warmly and soon he was tugged into the comforting abyss of sleep. He knew there would be no dreams; there never were.
Surprisingly halfway through the night, Leika’s face appeared before him. He knew it wasn’t really her, since the way she was looking at him was with pure adoration. Cherin was used to her staring at him in disdain or mild tolerance. Definitely not adoration. And yet this look softened her already beautiful features and made her purple eyes glisten with what could only be perceived as love. He liked the look on her, whether he would ever admit it to himself or not.
Soon, her voice was ringing through the air, loud and sweet. But urgent. Terrified. Cherin awoke with a start and realized that the voice was real. Leika was in trouble, and she was calling for help. Calling for him.
***
Why had she told Cherin to sleep after he had kissed her? The feeling of his lips against hers had felt too perfect for words. As if it was what she had been waiting for all along. But how could she truly believe that? Cherin had always been her friend and ally. That’s all. No man ever drove her more crazy than he did. There was no way she could like him so intimately. It didn’t make any sense.
The only reasonable thing she had done was to stop the kiss as it started. But still, she shouldn’t have demanded he go to sleep. Although sleep deprivation was the only logical reason he would have done something so ridiculous, and she knew he needed his rest, Leika would never forgive herself if this meant the end of the line for herself and the drivers. They had been ambushed during the night by two wolf shifters from another world, a couple, man and woman, who snarled menacingly at them in their wolf forms. What did they want from them?
The drivers were doing remarkably well at holding their own. They clearly had been trained by the same instruction that Cherin had. But unlike Cherin, it was clear that these were no star pupils who were able to work miracles in just the nick of time. These were normal men who had nothing to lose, and also, apparently, nothing much to gain from victory. The wolves each took on the drivers, who were too surprised even to shapeshift into their powerful dragon forms.
Suddenly, the ground quaked as a mighty roar sounded from behind them, and a sleek, silver form streaked past Leika. It was Cherin, in his dragon form. Just in time to save the drivers from being completely mutilated by the wolf shifters. A vicious fight ensued, and Leika watched helplessly as Cherin slammed the wolves around, first the female, and then the male. The female, a brindle colored woman with ferocious eyes, fell against a boulder with a yelp, and began transforming back into her human form. The male, jet black and ferocious, soon followed and crashed into a tree, shattering a bough that fell onto his limp body. He, too, returned to his human form in his weakness, giving Leika and Cherin time to help the wounded drivers back to their carriage.
“Thank goodness you were there,” the kinder one breathed, leaning heavily against the backrest. “Please, come with us to see Lopu Mansana for a reward.”
“Lopu Mansana?” Cherin asked, playing dumb as he shifted back into his human form. As always, he was nude when he completed the transformation and Leika tried to avert her eyes a little too late. She covered her face anyway, hoping to hide the deep red flush creeping across her cheeks at the sight of her friend’s impressive manhood. He would make some woman very happy one day.
“Yes, we are her couriers,” the other said. “You will be provided safe passage with us. Join us in our camp and come along with us for the ride.”
“I’m not sure I could refuse,” Cherin said, flashing a secret smile over at Leika. “I’ll go collect my belongings.”
By the time he returned, the couriers were ready to get back on the road and put the attack behind them. It was nearly sunrise, and the men insisted he join Leika in the carriage. They fed him the best of their food as they continued traveling toward the capital city. The carriage was wanting for space, and Cherin’s long, muscular legs pressed against Leika. Both of them seemed embarrassed by the closeness of their quarters, but Cherin was having fun pretending that he didn’t know her and making ridiculous conversation. She played along, though she glared mightily at him the entire time. How could he be so easygoing about everything all the time? Life wasn’t just a game and people weren’t just there to be toyed with and manipulate
d. Still, it was comforting to have him so close by. Every time she glared at him for saying something outlandish, like asking Leika questions he already knew the answer to, he simply laughed it off and continued with the charade, until they made it through the gates that signified their arrival to the capital city.
Leika sighed, her heart drumming in her chest. What could Lopu Mansana possibly want with her? And what was going to happen now that Cherin was going to be rewarded for his bravery at the same time she received her orders? Would she still feel safe? All she really knew was that now that Cherin was by her side, she didn’t want him to go anywhere.
CHAPTER 7
Before they knew it, Cherin and Leika were standing at the entrance of Lopu Mansana’s quarters.
“We’re all going in together to explain what happened,” the kinder courier said. Leika cast a nervous glance at Cherin. Would Lopu be able to tell that they were friends from the start? What would happen if the whole truth was discovered?
“You may enter,” Lopu’s powerful voice said.
Cherin and Leika moved forward into a room full of bookshelves. In the center was a round oak table where Lopu was pouring over some papers. She was the most elegant of the Loni women, and Leika felt immediately self-conscious in her presence. Lopu fixed her otherworldly golden eyes upon them and she knew for certain that she would be able to keep no secrets in front of this woman. Lonis were oracles and scribes; people with immense and immeasurable intuitive powers. Lying was futile.
“Welcome, my children,” Lopu said, smiling kindly and lowering her reading glasses. She stood and bowed formally, and the couriers rushed ahead of Leika and Cherin, bowing respectfully.
“My Lady, we were attacked by some particularly vicious wolf shifters while we were escorting young Leika here, and happened to pick up the man who saved us.”