by Amber Flora
“How do you seem to know everyone’s emotions? Earlier you said you smelled mine.”
He shrugged and went for his shirt. As hard as I tried, and I did try, I had not been blind to the beauty of a shirtless Herrick. The serpent tattoo that ran up his left arm was not the only distinctive mark on the man. He had washboard abs and an ample Adam’s apple, and that was just the front of the man. The back was even more titillating with his broad shoulders that led down to a tight, palm-smacking ass. This guy was all male and proud of it.
“We can stop for the day. We will resume first thing tomorrow.”
I went to leave the room when he placed his hand in front of me, stopping my progress.
“Not quite yet.”
A lump formed in my throat. I wasn’t sure what Herrick was capable of. He could be worse than Grison and I wouldn’t stand a chance against him. Dammit, did Damon make it a goal to torture me at every turn?
“I thought you said we were done training.”
He ushered me back to the mat and pointed for me to sit. I glanced up at his stern face as fear overcame me. My fight-or-flight instinct kicked in and I rushed toward the door.
“Ashtyn, stop!” his deep voice bellowed. I stopped, slowly turning to face him.
“I am not going to hurt you. We need to heal your wounds.”
He pointed to the bruises already forming on my arms and neck. I cautiously walked to where he stood and took a seat on the mat. I was still prepared to bolt at the first sign of trouble.
“They are not that bad. They will heal in a few days.”
He kneeled down in front of me and looked over my appalling figure. I was glad there wasn’t a mirror in here.
“In a few days you will have new bruises in new places. If we don’t heal you, you will look like a smurf by the time we’re finished.”
I laughed at his human reference and began to relax a little.
“How are you going to heal me? Are you a dreamwalker?”
“Why would you assume that?”
I looked at him embarrassed by my assumption. I knew so little about the world I was born into.
“I know a dreamwalker who can heal people with her touch. I just assumed only they could heal like that.”
He had an unbreakable poker face. If he was thinking anything about my ignorance on the races, he wasn’t showing it.
“I can also heal with my touch, but that doesn’t mean I’m a dreamwalker.”
This guy was like Fort Knox. What would it take to get an actual answer from him?
“If you aren’t a dreamwalker then what are you?”
The tiniest sparkle flashed in his eyes before he answered.
“I am a man.”
I huffed in frustration. “Whatever, keep your secrets. I don’t care.”
Herrick inched closer and looked me straight in the eyes. Goosebumps began to form on my arms and I wanted to shiver from the sensation.
“Your scent says otherwise.”
I didn’t even want to know what my scent was saying after three hours of training.
“Give me your arm,” he demanded, pointing at the bruises.
“Will it hurt?”
I remembered how Cody warned me about touching Katrina. He said touching her would cause her to inadvertently release some of her energy into others.
Kat was the only other person I knew who could heal people. She had saved a lot of lives the day the Credo attacked Avonya. She even healed Cody on the night we met. I hoped she had healed Mac when he returned home after Damon released him. I was envious of her abilities. What an amazing gift that would be to have the ability to save those you love.
“You will feel a hot tingling sensation at first, but it will pass. It may be uncomfortable but not painful.”
I hesitantly gave him my arm as I closed my eyes and braced myself for what was to come. I felt prickles running up my arm and then warmth like stepping into a bath. I shivered as the feeling crept over me, past my elbow and up my shoulder till it found the bruises on my neck, then tickling and warming my ears. I pulled back, feeling the action to be somewhat intimate.
“That’s good,” I said, scooting away from him and rising. “I think you got most of them. Thanks.”
“What about the ones on your back?” Herrick asked obviously unaware of the feelings swirling through me.
“I don’t have any there. I think you missed!” I yelled back to him as I practically ran from the room.
After a much-needed shower and a change of clothes I headed downstairs to find Damon. I certainly didn’t enjoy his company, but if Mac had taught me anything it was to know my enemy. If he let just one useful secret slip it might mean my freedom.
I stopped outside the door of the study when I heard voices coming from inside. It sounded like Damon and Grison were arguing.
“They burnt it to the ground! It’s gone, all of it! And you allow them to live?” Grison yelled.
“I gave her my word. So far she has kept hers, so I will keep mine. Her friends will not be harmed unless she defies me.”
“You can’t be serious! It makes you appear weak. Others might think you're not fit to lead.”
I heard what sounded like a chair moving and then a loud cracking noise before Damon replied.
“Do you think me weak, Grison?”
Grison’s voice sounded a little muffled when he answered with a “no” and I wondered if Damon had broken his nose.
He was talking about Cody and Mac. Had they come for me in Scotland only to find out we were already gone? Those stupid wonderful men, still risking their lives to protect me. My heart ached at the thought of being so close to being rescued. I was glad I wasn’t there to be found. If Damon had still been there Cody and Mac wouldn’t have stood a chance. My friends would have died trying to save a half-blooded failure. I was nothing like my mother, the high priestess. I would not be their savior. I was half-dreamwalker, half-wizard and all useless.
“It’s not polite to eavesdrop.”
I turned to see Herrick, who was leaning against the wall across from me. How long had he been there?
“Lurk much?” I retorted.
“I was invited to this party. Were you?”
I turned to walk away when he grabbed my arm, swinging me to face him again.
“Grison is beyond angry tonight, best to steer clear of him.”
“While I appreciate your fake concern for my well-being, I had no intentions of having a rendezvous with my enemy.”
He smiled as if he knew a secret.
“Peculiar words coming from a woman who sleeps under her enemies’ roof.”
I jerked my arm away. “You think this is by choice? I’m not on vacation, asshole. I’m a prisoner.”
My words had little effect on him. If anything it just made him more talkative.
“I just wonder if you are so unhappy why not escape your reality?”
I laughed at his absurdity.
“Oh gee, why didn’t I think of that? Hmm … Maybe because Damon is a powerful wizard and I can’t flash out of this hell, or perhaps because if I take one step off these grounds his entire army would hunt me down.”
He stared at me with his piercing gray eyes like he was looking for answers or something I was hiding deep in my soul.
“There are other ways of escape,” he said coolly.
“You mean take my own life?”
He nodded.
“Well there are two reasons that will never happen. The first is Damon swore if I took my own life he would hunt down everyone I love and kill them. The second being I’m not a quitter. I have no intentions of rolling over and letting that bastard win. It may take me months or even years but I can assure you when this is all over I will come out the victor.”
He looked to the door where Damon and Grison were still talking but no longer arguing.
“Why tell me this? Are you not afraid I will tell Damon everything you said tonight?”
“I don’t car
e what you tell him, but to be honest you don’t strike me as a rat. An uncaring ass I can see, but I doubt you spend your time gossiping like a schoolgirl.”
Herrick let go of my arm and smiled.
“Well, hummingbird, we shall see.”
I rested on a bench in the greenhouse attached to the far end of the estate. It was one of the few places where I felt peace. I thought about my friends and my father. I had only met Algon once. He visited me in my dream and explained to me that he was my father. He told me about how he came to love my mother the high priestess and how even though he was a wizard and their love was not allowed it didn’t stop him from wanting to be with her. They wanted a world where we could all exist, where the word impure was not spoken. Funny how my capturer had something in common with my parents. He, too, wanted the word impure removed from the vocabulary. Damon wanted the half-breeds to rule the world. Only, unlike my parents, he was willing to kill and destroy to get it. His passion for vengeance was strong and I doubted any amount of reasoning would change his mind. Damon would not stop until every world that cast him out was under his control. Cody, being the faithful person he was, had always believed my mother’s prophecy that I would be the Phoenix who rises from the ashes and saves dream realm from Damon’s equally psychotic uncle Ser’ie. Rumor was that my mother had trapped Ser’ie in a dream before her death. With the Credo’s leader gone, they struck dream realm, killing anyone who got in their way, including Cody’s father and sister. Now Damon controlled the Credo and if my mother's letter was correct I would not be the Phoenix but instead my child would. My mother had written that my child, born of a unique bloodline, would save dream realm. I looked up at the windowed ceiling and stared at the stars above. What would Cody think about me when he learned the truth — that I was not the Phoenix and that Damon planned on taking my child and turning him into a weapon instead of the savior? Would he want me dead too? Would he think it were better for everyone if it all ended with me? Without me around Ser’ie would probably never be found. Damon wouldn’t get his weapon and everyone could finally stop protecting the girl who brought so much pain and destruction into their lives. I wanted to hate my father for not coming for me. No matter how many times I ran it through my mind I couldn’t understand how he could leave me alone for so long without me knowing the truth. If he had taken me to Cardician when I was younger maybe none of this would have happened. Cody wouldn’t have taken me in; he and Mac wouldn’t be scouring the world in search of me. So many what ifs. I guess it didn’t matter, the past couldn’t be changed, but I still had a shot at the future.
“There you are.”
I cringed at the sound of Grison’s voice behind me.
“Don’t you have a life? For someone who hates me so much, you sure can’t stand to be apart from me.”
I knew I was pushing his buttons, but I couldn’t help myself. I was too angry at the situation to be concerned with the backlash of my actions.
“My life’s mission is to see you on your knees begging for mercy. I recall telling you not to go anywhere unaccompanied.”
I didn’t turn to look at him, I knew he was drunk. I could smell the alcohol on him from where I sat.
“I was just getting some fresh air. I’ll leave in a minute.”
I felt his hands in my hair and he snapped my head back, forcing me to look up at him. He loomed over me with his mouth in a snarl.
“You do not tell me what you will do. I give the orders and you obey like a good little witch.”
He pulled me up by my hair and cupped his hand around my throat, cutting off my breath. I closed my eyes and head-butted him hard, causing him to stumble back. I took the opportunity and bolted toward the door, but he righted himself quickly and gave chase. When I nearly reached the door he grabbed me from behind and lifted me off my feet, thrashing me around. I kicked to try to free myself, but my energy was wearing fast and I couldn’t break his hold. Grison spun me to face him and slapped me hard across the face and I fell to the ground. He went to strike me again, but a hand seized his from the side and pushed him backward.
“This isn’t your concern, Herrick,” Grison spat.
“You might be right, but when Damon hired me to teach her to protect herself, I didn’t know that meant from his own men.”
I watched Grison’s expressions. He appeared to be frightened by Herrick but too proud to back down.
“Damon doesn’t care if the witch gets ruffed up a little. You think he’s never laid a hand on her?”
Herrick looked at me and then back to Grison once again, giving nothing away as to what he might be thinking.
“How Damon plays with his toys is his choice, but he doesn’t strike me as the type to share. Should we go and ask him to clear up this little mess?”
Grison’s eyes suddenly looked terrified as he backed up.
“You won't always have someone around to save you, witch,” he said, looking at me.
“I won't always need someone,” I replied as I eyed him with distaste.
Grison ran his fingers through his hair and stalked off.
I pulled myself to my feet and ran my hand across my sore face.
“Let me heal it,” Herrick said, looking at my swollen cheek.
“I’ll be fine, I just need some ice.”
He got me pretty good. The guy had a nice right hook. Herrick was definitely holding back during training. I doubted Grison’s strikes held more force than his.
“I’m guessing by Grison’s demeanor that Damon does not know this is happening. If you wish to keep it that way you will need to hide the evidence.”
He was right. If Damon saw the bruise he would know what Grison had done. While that thought somewhat struck me with glee I doubted he would harm his second-in-command and the only other person besides me who knew his secret. That meant Grison would live to strike another day and the blow would be much worse.
I gave in to his persuasion. “All right, heal me.”
“A please would be nice.”
“Would you please be so kind as to heal me?” I asked half-sincerely.
He stepped forward, his gray eyes meeting mine. His brow rose and his face hardened.
“Why are your eyes teal?”
The infamous question — the one everyone wanted to know but to which I had no answer.
“They aren’t; they’re brown. Now are you going to heal me?”
“Answers first,” he demanded.
I sighed, annoyed with his huffy attitude. “Before Damon took me my eyes would only turn teal when I was in dream realm or Cardician, but ever since my capture they haven’t gone back to their natural color. I think it has to do with my being half-wizard. No one really knows.”
“They are unnaturally teal.”
“Yeah, well yours are freakishly gray. You don’t see me pointing out your traits, do you?”
He smirked. “You just did.”
“Yeah – well you started it.” I argued like a five year old.
Herrick cupped the side of my face and the heat rushed back into me like the first time he had healed me. The pain began to dissipate and warmth eased any remaining ache. I closed my eyes and suddenly felt lightheaded. Herrick caught me with one arm as I started to fall. Brushing my hair behind my ear, he looked down at me with a bewildered expression before returning to his normal stern expression.
“Your emotions are overwhelming you. It drains your energy. You must learn to control them.”
I stood and started pulling away from him and rubbing my cheek. The pain was gone, like it had never happened.
“I’ll work on that. Thank you for your help, not only with healing me but for stopping Grison.”
“His anger burns my nose. It makes it difficult to focus.”
“Is that a literal statement?” Why was he always talking about sensing emotions and smelling feelings?
“Perhaps one day I will tell you, but today is not that day.”
“Secrets are a sign of mistrust
. Do you not trust me?” I knew he didn’t. I sure as hell didn’t trust him, but it was still fun messing with Mr. Personality.
“I have no need for such concerns, whether I tell you or not would be strictly for your curiosity not my desire to trust you.”
I shrugged my shoulders in a “whatever you say, psycho” fashion and took off toward the main house. Herrick followed. We didn’t speak a word to each other until I made it to my bedroom door.
“I want you to teach me everything you can about fighting. If I complain, push me harder. Don’t hold back.”
“You wish to seek revenge?”
“You're damn right I do. I want this to be the last time Grison ever lays his dirty paws on me.”
“Very well, but I must warn you, revenge is a slippery slope. I've seen it drive people to the point of insanity. That is after all the very reason Grison attacks you isn’t it? He wants revenge for what you did to his brother.”
“You let me worry about my salvation. Just give me the tools and I’ll do the rest.”
Chapter 3
Cody sat in the sanctuary waiting for Mac. He better come back with news. Among all of the informants Mac had accumulated over the years, someone had to know where Damon took Ashtyn. They had been so close. They missed her by just a few days. Did she know they had come for her? Had she given up on ever being rescued? He hoped not. He needed her to be strong, to hold on just a little while longer. They would find her, and when they did, hell would rain down on anyone who had a hand in her abduction.
“I brought you some bread.”
Cody looked up to see beautiful Katrina staring down at him. Her long blonde hair was in a tight braid behind her back and her soft angelic face looked flushed.
“Thank you, Kat, but I’m not hungry.”
She sat down next to him. Her long white dress flowed over her slender elegant body.
“I didn’t ask if you were hungry. You need to eat, you will be no use to anyone if you’re malnourished.”