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able to stay in a relatively clean place.”
He snapped his fingers. Dormant dragonstones in their
wooden holders flared to life. The entire cavern illuminated
with white light. Two stories high, the ceiling, smooth like
polished glass but without the reflection, domed above them.
Stairs, curving against and with the walls, climbed on both
sides of the entrance, leading to rooms on a second level.
Ren understated his cleaning ability. Seren studied the
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spotless stone beneath her feet. She’d be able to eat off the
rock.
“I repaired the furniture in many of the rooms. It’s plain
but serviceable.” The wizard commented, removing his staff.
“There’s a larger room in the center, there on the bottom
level. We’ll use it to hold meetings to discuss this situation
Paladin has put us in.”
She chewed on her bottom lip, shooting a glance at
Paladin. He stood, glaring at the wizard. “How is this my
fault? It’s written of in the ancient texts.”
Ren grinned at him and turned toward the room he spoke
about using for a meeting room. “Well, if you’d kept your
pants up, none of this would have happened.” The man
stopped, looked over at Seren and winked. “Of course, I can
certainly understand why you did what you did.”
The glare cooled to an iceberg. Seren reached out and
touched Paladin’s arm. “He’s teasing.”
“That is not a subject to jest about.” He clenched his
teeth, and then said, “He shouldn’t have flirted with you
either.”
Ren’s jovial laugh followed after him, echoing in the open
area.
“Fool.” Paladin took her hand and trailed behind.
“But a dear one. Don’t let his teasing bother you. You’re
the one I’m attracted to, not him.” She smiled up at him.
He pulled her into his arms. “That pleases me to hear.”
Staring into his eyes, she ran a finger across his jaw. “Can
you doubt it?”
“Tonight I’ll hold you in my arms. I’ve dreamed of this
moment for such a long time.” Moving his head, he placed a
kiss on her palm. Her heart warmed at his words.
Ren called to them and the moment ended. They both
smiled, comfortable with the wait. Paladin, with an arm over
her shoulders, led her to where the wizard waited.
Tonight, he’d said. Contentment flowed through her. Just
a little while longer and they’d be together.
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Chapter Twenty-Three
More supplies arrived within the hour with turbaned men
and women carrying baskets. Some even rode on strange
wind powered sleds. There was one large center sail and two
smaller ones on each side of a catamaran type vessel.
Seren nudged Ren in the arm. “Why didn’t we use one of
those?”
“They sicken me when I ride them.” He shrugged, looking
down his nose at her. “Besides a little walk is healthy for you
and the babe.”
She rolled her eyes. “Walk in the desert with the heat and
all the sand? No, I don’t think so.”
He chuckled before he left her, striding off to direct some
of the newly arrived people to where they should go.
“You know, I can understand why he’s your friend,” she
told Paladin, looking over at him where he stood at her side.
Curiosity lit the gaze he turned on her. “And why is that?”
“You’re like salt and pepper, blending to make a perfect
combination,” she explained.
“Pepper?”
“It’s a seasoning spice just like salt. You remember the
brine sticks?”
“Ah, I see. We complement each other.” He nodded in
understanding.
The last of the day’s sun, low on the horizon, cast a
reddish glow across the landscape, softening his features.
The reds mingled with the golds in his hair, burnishing them.
Soft air currents passed over them, ruffling his hair.
Impatient for the time they would be alone, she shifted closer
and encircled his waist under his coat with one arm.
“Yeah. I like your choice of friends.” She placed her cheek
against his chest.
They stood quietly, his hand caressing the crown of her
head as they watched more people arrive.
Dust blew up on the horizon. Seren straightened against
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him. A strange cloud spiraled in their direction. “What is
that? A dust devil?”
“A what?”
“That’s what we call a small vortex in the sand or dirt on
Earth.”
He grunted and stepped away from her, his gaze
narrowed. He, too, watched the sand cloud racing closer. Ren
came up behind them.
“Seems we have company.”
The three of them stood inside the barrier. Seren felt safe
from whatever approached. The cloud drew nearer. She
searched for the cause of it, but nothing other than calm
sand and sky surrounded it. When the dust hit the barrier,
the magical wall parted. The form of a man took shape,
moving through it. Once on this side, his bare feet hit the
sand. He continued toward them, his momentum leading
him straight to Paladin.
Bask.
There was no mistaking the wizard. The silvered skull cap
glinted reddish orange with the sun’s waning light. He
reached out, grasped Paladin by his coat and lifted him off
the ground.
“Fool. What did Lior instruct you to do?”
Paladin’s face became a mask of fury. He clasped Bask’s
wrists and squeezed. “Release me.”
“Return the woman to Earth. Were those not her words?”
Seren’s knees weakened. Her attention moved to
Paladin’s face.
“The choice was mine, and I chose to keep her close.”
“To watch her die?”
“What makes you believe she would return? Just the loss
of one clan leader and the door would be closed, not to be
opened until another grew in power to do so. I refused to
take the chance.”
Mouth dry, Seren tried to take in what the two men
argued about. Bask had to be wrong. Paladin knew how
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much she wanted to go home. He wouldn’t have kept her
here without telling her first. Would he?
“Paladin?” She lifted a hand and took a step to him. “Is it
true?”
Bask shoved him away, releasing his hold. He turned to
her. “‘Tis true, little mother. With his foolish actions, he has
risked your life along with the child’s.”
“Lior said the decision was mine to make.”
The wizard slashed down with one hand. “She never
thought you would do this.”
Seren shook her head, not wanting to believe. Hurt welled
up in her heart to overflow through her tears. With another
shake of her head, she pivoted and walked into Ren’s chest.
The wizard’s right arm lifted, the staff extended in front
of him. “St
ay away. I believe she needs time to understand
what has happened.”
“Seren.” Paladin’s voice softened only to harden with his
next words. “Remove your staff or I’ll carve it into kindling.”
“No, not another word. I don’t want to see you right now.
You knew how badly I wanted to go home. You didn’t care.”
She hated the sorrowful note in her words. She had to leave.
Had to find someplace where she would have quiet to
understand why he had done this to her. Realization came to
her. This answered her question. The one bothering her, the
one Paladin evaded so aptly earlier today.
The scarlet side of Ren’s cloak flashed as he wrapped an
arm over her shoulders, concealing her from onlookers. “I’ll
take you to your room. You can rest there and maybe eat a
little.”
Unable to concentrate, she allowed him to lead her. They
reached the room set aside for her. He guided her to the
narrow cot and helped her sit.
“Why did he do it? Is it true? The door can’t be opened
again if something happens to one of the seven?” She clasped
her hands in her lap.
“It’s true, though if need be, I’m sure a conjunction of a
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few of the more experienced wizards, me included, could
manage to open it. I doubt he even considered that.” Ren
moved to stand inside the open door. “You must remember
your escape from Xelerdin happened so fast. Mayhap, he had
no time to contemplate the matter in depth.”
“What was there to think about? Bask said Lior told him
to open the door to Earth. He refused. I can’t believe he did
this to me. I could be back home, safe from any real danger.”
She shook her head, palms laid on the curve of her stomach.
“Our baby would be safe.”
Reaching for the door latch, Ren nodded. “Rest, little
mother, and remember there is not much which occurs on
Avaris that those great beasts do not have influence over.
Perhaps, it was their desire for you not return to your home.
Paladin merely followed through with their wish.”
His words lingered after he closed the door. All the noise
from the larger room past the wooden barrier ceased.
Shoulders slumping, she sat trying to understand. Unable to
find an answer, she lay on her back, placing an arm over her
eyes. She drifted into a swirling dark mass. Dreams assaulted
her. She struggled to escape, but every way she turned, more
blackness greeted her. Through the misty convolution,
Arcane slid toward her, his body scraping against the stone
ground. She tried to run, but the beast mesmerized her with
his cold gaze.
I have found you.
Eyelids snapping open, panting, heart racing, Seren
struggled to calm down. She rolled onto her side and stared
at nothing in particular. In her heart, she cried out for
Paladin. She needed him the most right now, but her
wounded trust prevented her from opening her mouth and
calling him.
* * * *
The last of Ren’s workers arrived. Paladin sat on the
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ground outside the cavern’s entrance, listening to their jovial
bickering over who carried the heavier load until it faded
when they moved deeper into the cavern. With his back
pressed against the rock surface, he watched the wind glide
over the moonlit dunes, erasing the marks their passage had
left in the sand.
With them, came a message from the Wizard’s Academy.
They affixed a magical barrier to surround the city. They
even sent instructors across the planet to do the same for
every city and sizable village.
The news relieved Paladin. After the incident with Seren,
he needed some good news. He would have loved to take his
anger out on Bask, but the man departed not long after Seren
went below with Ren. Right now, he wanted nothing more
than to wrap his hands around Bask’s neck and squeeze.
Still, it would not solve his problem with Seren.
He’d violated her trust, something he valued in others.
His selfishness stood in the way of her well being.
Rocks scattered over the ground. He glanced toward the
entrance. Ren strode through the opening, and caught sight
of him. The wizard walked to his side and squatted, studying
him with a keen gaze. The dark haired man grunted. “Are
you finished sulking?”
“I do not sulk. My problem goes deeper than a childish
reaction.”
“Truly.” Ren nodded. He slipped down beside Paladin.
“Yet while you sit out here, she is within, heart aching for
what you neglected to tell her.”
“Please, no lecture.” Paladin rubbed his brow. “My own
guilt is enough to remind me of what I have done.”
“And you don’t desire to go to her?”
“To do what? Beg her forgiveness? If I believed she would
listen, I would be there in an instant.” Paladin shook his
head. “No, not the Seren I know. She will take her time in
deciding whether or not to forgive me.”
“You do realize we will most likely die here? Yet still, you
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wallow in your pride, refusing to go to her.” Ren used the end
of his staff to draw a rough sketch of a dragon in the sand
and rocks at his feet. “You, my friend, amaze me.”
Amazed him? Paladin’s gaze shifted to his friend. “Would
you have me go, pleading with her to forgive me for doing the
very thing which may cause my death. I would much rather
fight for her and live to prove I made the right choice. Better
than begging her for forgiveness and then die.”
A dark brow quirked at Paladin’s comment. “I’ll tell you
what I would do. Not that I think you ever would, but I’d go
to her, even if it was just to hold her. She is lost, same as you.
She also doesn’t have anyone on this entire planet she is
close with, not like she is to you.” Without waiting for
Paladin to reply, Ren stood, shook the dust off his cloak, and
reentered cavern.
The cold desert night chilled Paladin. He brought the
collar of his coat up around his throat. He considered rising
and going to Seren, but instead, he remained seated. How
could he expect her to forgive him? He’d cut her deep with
his actions. So he sat long into the night, watching the wind
dance over the dunes while he considered what to do about
the woman he loved.
* * * *
Several days swept past in a blur for Seren. She tried to
cope without having Paladin near her, but seeing him across
the larger cavern, yet never going to meet him tore at her.
She wanted to, but pride stood in the way. His gaze, haunted
with dark shadows under his eyes, focused on her every time
she looked in his direction.
His haggard appearance verified his own suffering. Even
seeing this, she still had a hard time forgiving him.
Leo and
Largin arrived a week after they had. They rode
in on the backs of two lesser sea dragons. Poor beasts hopped
from one foot to another, trying to avoid direct contact with
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the hot sand. Largin’s dragon jumped just when the old man
slid over its side. The old wizard flew above the dragon’s
back to land in a cloud of dust at the beast’s taloned feet. The
half-surprised, half-aggravated expression on the poor man’s
face caused a surprised laugh to well up from Seren.
Hair standing on end, clothes rumpled, Largin stood,
brushed a hand over his body, and glared at his ride. “You
could have warned me.”
The dragon crooned low in its throat, a long forked
tongue slid from scaled lips and flicked at Largin.
“Oh, be off with you. Return to Bae. Keep well hidden.
Don’t come here again until called for by your clan leader.”
Largin patted the long neck. “I fully expect you to fight well
during the approaching battle.”
Green scales rippled over the dragon’s body, its lips
pulled back, revealing large pointed teeth. With another low
mew, it sprang straight up, followed by the other. They flew
toward the southeast. Dust billowed around Largin. He
waved at the departing dragons before turning and scurrying
through the barrier to where she and the others waited.
Amazed they could walk through the invisible wall, Seren
looked over at Ren. He didn’t appear surprised at all. She’d
ask Leo about it later. Maybe it didn’t affect humans.
The white haired wizard stopped in front of her, his gaze
wandering over her rounding body. “Well, young mother,
you appear hale.”
She smiled, tilting her head in acknowledgment. “I am.
And you, sir, how have you been?”
“Fine, fine. Though I have to say, all this uproar is rather
exhausting. Such a headache. Ah, Paladin, there you are.”
When Largin stepped to him, Seren sidled over to Leo.
She wrapped her arms around his waist, drawing comfort
from the simple touch. He embraced her, one hand patting
her back. Her face buried in the center of his broad chest, she
spoke, her words coming through muffled. “I’m so glad
you’re safe. I was so worried, not sure if his blow killed you.”
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“No, I’m good.” He leaned back, his head dipping to take
in her features. “You look tired? The baby’s doing this or did