by Deirdra Eden
My heart sank as I thought of the misguided, Scottish monarchy they were forced to protect. From what I heard, their barbarian king was more war-hungry than Edward.
Azrael motioned toward the short, slender man with messy, black hair and chiseled features. “Korban is the best swordsman in the twelve Neviahan galaxies. His gift is to wield any kind of weapon.”
Korban flashed me a smile. His deep brown eyes sparkled with pride.
Azrael pointed to the tall, broad-shouldered man who filled most of the cave when he stepped inside. “And this is Orion.”
Evaluating his size, I expected his gift to be something to do with strength, especially since he carried a massive battle axe with a blade as large as a shield.
Korban elbowed Orion in the ribs. “Aye, he can make flowers grow. ‘Tis his powers.”
Orion narrowed his eyes and crossed his thick, muscular arms. “You weren’t complainin’ when thistles attacked the Norse and saved all yer scrawny hides.”
Azrael expounded, “Orion is a Watcher with earth elemental powers.”
Orion turned to me. “We hear you ‘ave the fire element.”
I nodded and searched their expressions for any sign of fear. I was used to the way humans reacted to me and my abilities, but there was only delight in their eyes. “Who is the tiger?” I asked.
Azrael rubbed the tiger in between his ears. “This is Baby. He is my animal companion. Most Watchers eventually get an animal companion or a special trinket of sorts to help them with their quests.”
“Baby?” That wasn’t the name I expected for a tiger that looked like he could swallow a man whole. I patted the heroic cat. “Thank you for pulling me from the river, Baby.” The tiger’s grin grew wide. I turned to the men and formally introduced myself, “I am Lady Auriella.”
“We know,” Orion said and shrugged his shoulders like he didn’t care. “But we’ve been calling you Aura this whole time, so don’t expect us to stop now.”
“Aura?” I was surprised by their casualness in addressing me and the fact that they already knew my name.
Azrael grinned, “‘Tis easier than Lady Auriella.”
I could go with the name. It was then I realized I had seen the name ‘Aura’ on the letter warning me of Erebus’s attack. They knew this would happen. “You were the ones who warned me about the Blood Hunters,” I said.
“We’ve been after that pack of dogs for months now,” Orion said. “‘Twas our pleasure, lass.”
Korban let out a chuckle. “More Azrael’s pleasure. He was the one who resuscitated you after you nearly drowned in the river.”
My eyes flew open wide with horror. Korban had to be joking.
Azrael’s expression radiated something mischievous. “Forgive me. I was hoping our first kiss would be a bit more romantic.”
First kiss? I tightened my jaw and tried not to envision his mouth over mine. I shook my head, but my heart took off at a sprint. Hot Neviahan blood rushed through my veins. I couldn’t stop staring at his terrifying, yet perfect mouth.
I forced myself to sound regal, hard, and indifferent. “It wasn’t a kiss if I didn’t give it willingly.” It’s not like I could ever have a relationship with him. I belonged to England and to Lucas. Besides Azrael worked for the barbarian enemy. Although right now, I was the one who looked more like a barbarian. My filthy hands were caked in blood. My hair was probably just as ravaged as my clothing. Embarrassment washed over me. I couldn’t believe anyone had seen me this way, and I was horrified that Azrael had “kissed” me while I was in this condition. “I need a moment to collect myself,” I said in a small voice.
“That means she wants us to leave, huh?” Orion asked Korban.
I nodded. Azrael ushered the other men out, but seemed hesitant to leave himself. “Are you upset about . . .?” Azrael pointed to his lips.
I shook my head quickly, but didn’t say anything. I didn’t know what to say.
Azrael didn’t look convinced by my answer. He turned and the air grew colder as he walked farther away.
Dropping my shoulders, I released the breath I didn’t know I held. I made sure the men were out of sight before kneeling beside the bucket of icy water. My pathetic reflection floated across the surface. I saw why my head pounded. A bump crowned my brow where I had hit the rocks. My hair hung in tangles around my bruised face. I looked like I had been thrown off a cliff.
Cringing, I put my finger into the bucket, shattering my pitiful reflection. I tried to summon the heat of my elemental power to warm the water. I closed my eyes and concentrated, but no fire came from my hands. My power and energy seemed to always run out after a long, hard fight. My shoulders dropped in defeat. I cupped the shimmering water in my hands and splashed my face with the shockingly cold liquid.
I tried to relax and fight the pain and embarrassment from the attack. My arm burned, making me keenly aware of the venom pulsing inside my flesh. Baby nudged me and slipped his head under my arm to comfort me. I was sure the intuitive tiger sensed my discouragement. With my good hand, I stroked his fur and rubbed his ears. “You’re just a friendly, big kitty, aren’t you?”
I took a rag and washed the wounds on Baby’s shoulder.
Baby moaned dramatically. I could tell the cat loved the attention I gave him, so I fed his ego by oohing and awing over his bravery. Baby suddenly perked up and licked his chops. I could smell it too. We followed the scent of roasting meat to the cave entrance.
Azrael, Orion, and Korban talked next to a fire. A small roast cooked above the flames. My horse grazed in the forest next to three others. I let out a sigh of relief. I thought for sure the Blood Hunters had eaten her. I could tell by the number of bandages covering my horse, it would be a while before I could ride her again.
Azrael glanced toward the cave and saw me watching them. He deftly jumped to his feet and bounded toward me with a wide grin. “You look beautiful.” His gaze struck me with wonder as if he wanted to tell me something, but couldn’t. “Come by the fire, and get something warm to eat,” he offered.
When he touched my hand, something ancient burned inside me as if hidden power was being resurrected. I pulled away from Azrael’s comforting grasp and stepped from the cave entrance. I didn’t know how to repress these haunting feelings I didn’t understand.
“Where are your shoes?” he asked.
I let out a quick laugh. “I must have lost them in the river.”
Azrael made a quick turn and my feet swung off the ground. I gasped and clutched onto his shoulder as he carried me in his arms as if I were weightless. “There, you don’t need shoes now,” Azrael stated.
I covered my face with one hand. “I can’t believe you are doing this.”
“Doing what?” he asked with false innocence.
“Carrying me,” I said and didn’t hide the irritation. “I’m not a damsel in distress, I’m a knight.”
His eyes danced with laughter. “‘Tis called chivalry. I’m sure you were taught chivalry in knight school. Did they not teach you to accept chivalry as well?” His Scottish accent came out thick.
Knight school? I couldn’t tell if he was mocking traditional English knighthood or not. Who knew what the Scottish enemies had told him about the English.
Azrael set me on a deerskin beside the fire and sat across from me. He picked up a straight stick and fastened an arrowhead to the end. I tried to examine more of his features behind his black mask and a week’s worth of stubble covering his firm jaw-line.
Orion turned the roast over the fire and Korban ran a sharpening stone over the edge of his sword. Energy flew from the woods toward the three men as if they were magnets for light. I had never seen such strong energy forces. Were all Watcher men like this? I must look so plain and ordinary to them.
The sun broke through the clouds and splashed across my opal skin, making me glitter like a fairy. Azrael’s gaze shot up and Orion shifted his weight. Even Korban stopped sharpening his sword. They held perfectly still,
not even breathing as they all stared at me.
My ivory skin shimmered with specks of rose, gold, emerald, and lavender in the sunlight. Brushing my arm, I looked away. I seldom thought about my strange opal-like skin because I was the only one who ever saw the phenomenon. Humans and the Shadow Legion couldn’t see the Neviahan mark, but Azrael, Orion, and Korban obviously noticed.
I glanced at the three men. None of them sparkled like I did. Why was my skin so different from theirs? This couldn’t be good. I realized that even among my own kind, I was an oddity. I had to get out of the sunlight. I swallowed hard and tried to sound casual. “Excuse me.” I jumped to my feet and marched toward the cave. A wave of dizziness hit me like a tsunami. I swayed, trying to catch my balance as the world spun around me.
Azrael grasped my arm and forced me to sit. “Quick, she needs something to eat.”
Korban took his knife and carved off a generous portion of the roast.
“I think I am just tired,” I said. I winced against the nauseating pain of my dislocated shoulder and the venom burning in my arm.
Azrael stared at the bandages around my arm. “You’ve lost a lot of blood, and the venom is attacking your body.”
Orion nodded in agreement. “She’s pale as the moon. This’ll hinder our mission. Do you think she’ll make it to the sanctuary?”
“Your mission? Sanctuary?” I didn’t hide my anxiety at the hint of their agenda. “I have my own mission to accomplish.”
“We need to drain the venom,” Azrael said, ignoring my worry. “It’ll be a few days before we can travel again.”
“Wait. Where are we going?” I asked with more force.
Korban passed the bowl to Azrael, and he handed it to me. My hand grazed across Azrael’s. A blue spark flew from his outstretched fingers to mine and lit our faces. I could tell by their stunned expressions that Korban and Orion had seen and heard the flash of energy too.
Azrael leaned away, his face flushed, and he brushed his hair back with one hand. “It must be energy left over from the storm last night.” His voice quaked, though he grinned wide with amusement.
“Must be.” I did not hide the suspicion in my voice. There was something strange about the three Watchers, and I was going to discover their secret and agenda.
They were too charming to be common thieves, too rugged to be noble knights, and their masculine frames, sculpted for battle, left out the possibility of them being lazy lords. They claimed to be Neviahan, but why were these Watchers so different from me?
Chapter Six
Venom
I had eaten more than a lady’s share of venison, and Baby devoured the rest of the meal. Azrael, Orion, and Korban refused to eat anything, which made me only more nervous as they watched me eat. Azrael couldn’t keep his eyes off my shimmering skin. Orion and Korban pretended not to be bothered by me, but they jerked uneasily every time I shifted in the sunlight. Something about my Neviahan mark upset them. The dizziness left me, but excitement, confusion, intrigue, and fear meshed together in my heart as I retreated out of the sun and back into the cave.
Right now, I had a bigger problem to worry about. I bit on my lower lip, trying to suppress the throbbing pain from my dislocated shoulder and the burning venom in my arm. My fingers strained, trying to create an amber flame. Hopefully, the heat would dull the pain. A spark sputtered from my fingertips, then went out. I was still too weak to summon that kind of energy. I balled my hands into fists and leaned against the cave wall. For a split second, I wished I had my healing ruby necklace, but I didn’t regret my decision to give it to Lucas. I imagined him, a human, fighting against the assailing Shadow Legion. I shouldn’t have left him alone. Perhaps I could convince Azrael, Orion, and Korban to come and aid us in London.
“How are you feeling, now that you’ve had a good meal?” Azrael asked.
Startled by his entrance into the cave, I whirled around. Azrael knelt beside me and slid close. Baby plopped down and laid his massive head in my lap.
“I’m fine,” I said cheerfully and forced a smile on my face.
Azrael reached for my hand. I pulled away, not wanting him to touch my skin in or out of the sunlight. I had never been so self-conscious about the way my skin looked.
“I want to see your arm.” Azrael gripped my wrist with a gentle firmness from which I didn’t dare pull away. I watched his expression as he unraveled the bandages to reveal where the Shadow Wolf had bitten me. The smell of rotting flesh could not be hidden. Red and purple lines ran like trails up my arm.
Azrael pulled away. He wasn’t smiling. His knuckles whitened, and he swallowed hard. “‘Tis not good. Wolf venom is meant to slow you down so they can hunt you easier. The scent is potent to the Legion. They can track a Neviahan injected with venom for miles.” He swallowed hard and continued, “‘Tis a cruel death that lasts over a matter of days.” Azrael smiled gently, though his eyes saddened. “But you are not going to die. We are going to draw out the venom.”
My tongue curled at the gruesome thought of reopening my arm. I pinched my eyebrows together and forced my voice to stay steady. “Is there another way?”
Azrael shook his head. “No, and if I’m not able to get all the venom out, our only other option is to . . .” He glanced at a sword propped in the corner.
“Don’t say it.” I repressed the ghastly image of having my arm amputated.
“I will do everything in my power to help you,” Azrael assured. “Stay here.” He jumped to his feet and darted from the cave.
I took several deep breaths and turned to Baby. “Does Azrael have physician training?”
The cat rolled his eyes.
I laughed–something I always did when nervous. I didn’t want just anyone cutting into my arm.
Baby dropped his head in my lap. I ran my fingers through his fur. “If what Azrael said is true about Watchers getting animal companions, I hope my animal will be as cute as you, Baby.”
Baby licked my hand with his rough tongue.
Azrael returned with a heavy wooden bucket. Black ash covered the bottom and steam rose from the water. He dropped a dagger into the boiling water to sanitize the blade. “Before we drain the venom, I’m going to snap your shoulder back into place.”
“Snap?” I repeated uneasily.
Azrael shook his head. “That wasn’t a good word to use. I’m going to set your shoulder where it should be.”
It was too late; he had already said “snap”. I braced myself and touched his hand, expecting to be shocked again. This time I only felt his warm fingers slip between mine.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
I nodded.
Azrael slid his other hand under my arm and braced my shoulder. He pulled our interlocked hands toward him while pushing my shoulder up.
The pain grew more intense. My teeth ground together. I held my breath to keep from gasping. A loud “snap” came from my shoulder. “Arg!” I let out a scream and dropped my head. I took several deep breaths while the pain dulled. “That’s better,” I sighed.
“That was the easy part,” Azrael murmured. “After we get the venom out, I will make a sling for your arm.”
I leaned back against the wall and rubbed my shoulder, hoping to massage the pain away.
“Does it still hurt?” he asked.
“It’s a little tender, but it feels much better.”
“I have an idea of something that might help.” Azrael leaned forward. His eyes sparkled behind his dark mask. “Now don’t be frightened,” he warned.
I couldn’t stand the mask covering his eyes. What was he hiding anyway? I swallowed hard before asking, “Why would I be frightened?”
A small, golden flame burst from his hand. I jumped and slammed my back against the cave wall. Did I just see what I thought I saw? The fire flickered in his hands like gold energy. I gazed at the warm light beaming across his face. I held my breath and examined Azrael as if I was seeing him for the first time.
“Shhh.
” Azrael closed his hand around the flame and smothered it. “Don’t be frightened.”
“You’re a fire Watcher like me.” My words came out in a gasp. No wonder I felt such a deep connection with him.
Azrael nodded. “‘Tis only a minor gift. My fire powers are not nearly as powerful as yours.”
“Minor gift?” I asked. “You have more than one?”
Azrael nodded. “Of course. Our gifts are like talents. Though most of us are born with a natural power, we can develop many gifts. We are not limited.”
Azrael held out his hand once more. A flame ignited from his palm. My lips turned up in a wide grin. Warm shadows danced on the cave walls as the fire flickered in his hands. He watched me as if gauging my reaction. “Please,” Azrael begged. “Don’t be frightened.”
I shook my head. “I’m not frightened.” This time I really meant it.
Azrael pressed the flame onto my shoulder. His heat penetrated deep into my flesh, flowing through my body like hot steam. The pain subsided as tranquility washed over me in waves. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the moment.
“Better?” Azrael asked, pulling away.
My head bobbed as I nodded. I’d never felt so relaxed. It took effort to sit up straight so I wouldn’t fall asleep. “It feels . . . amazing.”
“Good. That was the easy injury to heal.” Azrael touched the handle of the dagger and pulled it from the boiling water. He let out a long sigh and took my hand. “I will have to make six incisions: three on the top of your arm and three on the bottom. Then I will use hot rags to draw the venom out.”
I braced myself. “I’m ready.” I tried to keep my voice sure and courageous.
Azrael held the tip of the blade to my arm. I squinted my eyes at the sharp prick. Azrael sucked in a quick breath, bracing himself as well. Hot metal pressed into my delicate skin and broke through the layers of flesh. My blood sizzled against the hot knife and black liquid bubbled from my forearm. I clenched my teeth together and pressed my lips tight to keep from screaming. Adrenaline rushed through my veins. My toes curled in agony. My nerves burned and my ears pounded, matching the erratic sound of my thumping heart.