Warrior

by Lori Brighton

  “As you know,” I said. “We are not a cruel people. Therefore, I give you two choices: join our army or die.”

  He spat out the wood, startling the doctor. “Wonderful choices, join the enemy and become a traitor, or die.”

  I shrugged as I settled on a stool near the tent opening. The place smelled of medicine. A foul, bitter scent I knew well. It made my stomach roil. “At least it is a choice.”

  “Fine,” he snapped without hesitation. “I’ll join your army. Mayhap I can teach them a thing or two.”

  I slid Gregor a glance. This Acadian soldier had agreed a little too quickly. Perhaps the Acadian were easily swayed, weak and malleable. Or maybe he lied to placate me. I pulled the stool closer and leaned toward him. I’d find out soon enough if he was serious. The doctor continued to stitch. The soldier did his best to appear indifferent, but I could see the flinch of pain every time the needle pierced his flesh. He was human, after all.

  “How did you find the woman?”

  “The fairy magic.”

  I nodded. Made sense. The same way I’d found him. “Of course. And is she the one?”

  He hesitated. “Yes.”

  “How did you open the realm?”

  His jaw clenched, working. “An oracle stone.”

  I stiffened, more than surprised. An oracle stone was rare. Not even my uncle had managed to capture one. “Where is it?”

  “Destroyed when I crossed over.”

  Did he lie? Was there any way to tell? His gaze was steady, determined. Too steady. The oracle stone was a battle for another time. “What did it say?”

  Sweat rolled down the side of his temple, his eyes glazed with pain. He was doing everything in his power not to react to the needle piercing his tanned flesh. Hell, even I wanted the doctor to finish already.

  “It said that she is the one we seek.”

  He wasn’t telling me everything. I could feel Gregor’s unease as well. Even the doctor paused as he was tying his knot. I glanced out the tent, focusing on her temporary abode.

  “Does she know who she is?”

  The doctor tied the stitches and went to a bowl to wash his hands. Slowly, the soldier sat up, grimacing when his wound pulled. It was an angry red line marred with black stitches that would leave a scar. Not that he would care.

  He was probably the same age as me, yet had more scars than Gregor. I respected those scars, the battles he’d gone through. But it didn’t mean I wouldn’t throw him in the dungeon the moment we got home.

  He reached for his shirt. “From what I can tell…she knows nothing.”

  I wasn’t surprised. I’d guessed as much. Why would they have kept her ignorant? “And the other two who were sent away?”

  “I have no idea where they are, no idea if they know the truth.” He pulled his shirt over his head, his movements painfully slow. “However, it doesn’t matter, does it? We’ve found the one who is important.”

  “No. I suppose it doesn’t matter.” I looked once more at her tent. “And her keeper?”

  “The woman was a wastrel. She was left behind. There wasn’t time to get her. She will be no trouble.”

  I nodded as I stood. “Good.”

  “That’s it? I’m part of your army now?” he asked. “Merry little band of loyal soldiers?”

  I didn’t miss the sneer in his voice.

  “Of course.” I made my way toward the tent flap, knowing my uncle would probably have him killed the moment we entered the castle grounds. A waste. Yet, I felt no guilt. Death had been his fate when he’d decided to go after my kingdom.

  Chapter Three

  Shay

  “Walk faster,” Mr. Egomaniac snapped from his exalted position upon his black steed. Some fairy tale this was turning out to be. “At your pace it will take days.”

  I glared up at him, trying desperately to ignore the stinging rub of the rope around my wrists. Exhausted, my legs quaked with each step, threatening to give out. I would not fall in front of them. I would not. “Yes, your highness. I wouldn’t want to keep you from your journey’s end.”

  He didn’t react, merely continued to trot beside me, head held high like the arrogant ass he was. God, I hated him. I’d never met anyone so self-centered.

  He reminded me of the kids at school who thought they were better than me, the kids who used to taunt my second-hand clothes and frizzy hair. A time before I’d learned fashion, hair products & how to stick up for myself. I’d sworn I would never be that bullied child again.

  I tugged at the rope around my wrists, but it wouldn’t loosen. Surrounded. Stuck. Brynjar walked ahead, but too far away to be of any help. I’d been surprised and relieved to see him alive this morning when we’d started our journey. Was he on my side?

  I could barely see the many soldiers who surrounded me through the cloud of dust the horse hooves stirred. Twenty? Twenty-five men? They were all tall, broad-shouldered beasts, made to look even larger with the gold armor across their chests, and helmets on their heads. But for Makaiden.

  The man rode bold as you pleased down the middle of the group without an inch of metal to protect his body, so close that his horse’s tail hit me across the face more than once. He wasn’t as indifferent as he seemed. Although he barely looked my way, I had a feeling he was completely aware of everything I did.

  “Quicken your pace, or my soldiers will help you.”

  Anger boiled inside me, dangerously close to the surface. I needed that anger to keep me going. It was better than fear. Always better than fear. “Is it your goal to get me trampled…”

  My foot hit a rock. Off balance, I dove forward. With my hands tied I had no way to brace myself and my elbows hit the ground hard. Horse hooves trampled by, beating the earth and raising the dust around me. No one stopped to offer assistance.

  “Wonderful. Great,” I muttered.

  “Get up, Rallora,” Makaiden snapped, pausing his mount to look back at me. I could see the flash of irritation in his green gaze. He didn’t even try to hide it. As if this was all my fault when he was the jerk who forced me from my home, and brought me here…where ever here was.

  “As I’ve told you repeatedly, my name is Shay.” I tucked my legs under my body and managed to stand, biting back my curse. My elbows were scraped and bleeding. “And perhaps if you gave me a horse, I could keep up.”

  And escape.

  He quirked a dark brow and leaned casually against the pommel of his saddle. Even as he sat his horse, there was a grace to him that intrigued me as much as it annoyed me.

  “And escape?”

  Hell, could he read minds? A rush of blood made my face heat. I prayed the dust and grime would hide it. “No,” I muttered, not daring to look into his gaze, in case he read the truth. “Where would I go?”

  When he didn’t respond, I peeked up at him through my lashes. His black tunic was open at the collar, showing his tanned skin, muscled throat. I knew his kind; I’d gone to school with them. Guys who thought they were gods. Wealthy. Powerful parents. Above the law. Apparently, it didn’t matter where you were, some things never changed.

  “I’m sure you could find somewhere to go.”

  The rest of the soldiers were getting ahead of us. Perhaps if I stalled, I’d have a better chance of escape without his army to watch over me. If I darted into the trees at my left, he wouldn’t be able to follow on his mount. There had to be a weakness in his ranks. Something I could use for my benefit.

  “Do you treat all women like this?”

  “No. We treat all prisoners like this.”

  I slid a glance right. The hill was too steep to climb. I had to go left. “All enemies equal? How very progressive of you.”

  But to go left, to dart into those trees, would mean getting by him first.

  He kicked his mount, heading toward me. “Come, Shay.”

  I didn’t have time to understand his intentions before he reached out, grabbed my arm, and hauled me up onto the horse in front of him. My bottom hit
his muscled thighs. For one startled moment I didn’t move. The horse jerked forward and I fell back into his hard chest.

  Embarrassed by his embrace, I straightened quickly enough, leaving as much room as I could between us. At the front of my mind was the realization that he’d lifted me like I weighed nothing. This was no lazy, spoiled guy as I’d assumed.

  “Really?” he muttered near my ear. “You won’t touch me? Am I that repulsive?”

  I flushed, looking anywhere but at him. Brynjar gave a subtle glance over his shoulder as he walked ahead. When his gaze met mine, something flashed in his blue eyes. Something I didn’t quite understand. Before I could interpret the meaning, he’d faced forward again. I could tell by the slump of his shoulders and sweat glistening upon his brow, that his injury bothered him. What if he didn’t make it? What if he died before he had time to explain this new world to me? Before we had time to escape?

  “You can lean back, you know. I promise not to bite.”

  “No thanks,” I muttered.

  His mount didn’t care for my extra weight and neighed. We both reached out to soothe the animal at the same time. His fingers fell over mine. Electric heat shot up my arm. Startled, I jerked back.

  “Would you prefer to walk? It’s only another eight hours or so.”

  I swallowed my sharp reply. My first instinct was to say yes. I would have loved nothing more than to hold him back from his destination. After all, why the rush when I knew I’d be thrown in a dungeon the moment we arrived? But I was exhausted, spent. I couldn’t walk another mile, let alone twenty.

  “I’ll stay here, thank you,” I mumbled.

  He laughed in a way that made me want to shove my elbow into his gut. Attacking this man would probably get me killed. I didn’t want to die…not today. Not before I figured out what the hell had happened. How I had ended up here.

  “Don’t worry, we’ll stop for midday meal soon.”

  Just the comment made my stomach tighten, threatening to rumble. I’d never been so hungry. How had he known? It was a weakness I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of enjoying. I pressed my fisted hands into my gut, as if that could prevent it from rumbling. I’d been blessed with stale bread and moldy cheese this morning for breakfast. Afraid it had been poisoned I’d refused to eat it. Stupid me. It was a mistake I wouldn’t make again.

  “It’s a beautiful day. You could enjoy it,” he said, his warm breath tickling the side of my face, stirring my loose hair against my cheek. “Our land is full of riches. Valleys, mountains, rivers. Unlike your home in New York. No offense, but I found it rather lacking.”

  Every brush of his hard body as the horse moved, made me completely and fully aware of his presence when I just wanted to forget. “Your place is that great, huh? And what will happen to me when we get there? Roll out the red carpet? Or throw me in the dungeon?”

  He didn’t respond, but I swore I felt his muscled arms tighten around me. A reaction he couldn’t hide. I was the enemy, for some unknown reason. Makaiden was proud he’d captured me, like I was a deer to be shot, stuffed and hung on the wall. He was not my friend, no matter how much conversation we shared.

  “According to your soldiers it will be the dungeon.”

  “They told you that?” he snapped.

  I wasn’t sure whether to be amused or annoyed. “You’re surprised they’d taunt me?”

  “Yes.” He looked flustered. “A soldier should be objective. They aren’t supposed to let emotions get in the way.”

  I didn’t have time to mock him for that comment.

  One of the soldiers ahead paused. “My lord, Prince Makaiden?”

  “Prince?” I snapped, glaring over my shoulder at him. Oh dear god. He was a freaking prince? Of course he was. The man was way too arrogant to be common.

  He shrugged as if it was of no importance. “What is it, Torma?”

  “Unicorn.”

  I jerked my gaze to the front of the pack, sure I’d misheard. A white horse stood in the middle of the road watching us with large, blue disinterested eyes. Beautiful, but it looked like an everyday horse. “What is it? It’s not really… It can’t be…”

  “Do you not know of them?”

  The animal started forward, slowly crossing the dirt road in front of our small army as if it hadn’t a care in the world, as if it knew of its own magnificence, and it had nothing to prove. As it shifted by a group of soldiers, its silver horn came into view, glimmering and sparkling under the dull sunlight. My breath caught. I didn’t blink, knowing if I did it would disappear because this was a dream…it had to be a dream.

  “A unicorn?” I whispered.

  “Yes.”

  I fought to keep my excitement and awe contained, but it was impossible. “I’m insane. I’ve gone insane. Haven’t I?”

  All this time, I hadn’t believed anything this Prince Makaiden had said. I was in another realm, they’d told me. Please. Like I’d buy that. I’d been brought here by magic, they’d said. That comment had actually made me laugh. But now the world around me spun with confusing emotions. Everything that had seemed like a dream felt suddenly, stiflingly real.

  “You’re not insane,” he said. “Strange, that it’s out in the open.”

  I swore the unicorn looked directly at me. He shook his head, its silvery mane shimmering as it sauntered into the woods, disappearing into the shadows like it had never been. I shifted on the horse, trying to follow its path, but the woods were too dark. What else was out there in the shadows?

  “What’s it doing out in the open,” Gregor muttered.

  “Must be something wrong with it,” the prince replied.

  But there didn’t seem to be anything wrong with it. The animal was magnificent. Stunning. It practically glowed with a supernatural power that we mere mortals couldn’t possibly understand.

  “My lord,” one of the soldiers called out. “Shall we kill it? Take the horn?”

  “What?” I stiffened in outrage. “Are you serious?”

  “No, Torma, let it go.”

  The soldier grudgingly nudged his mount forward. “Yes, my lord.”

  We followed, trudging down the dirt road with the rest of the group. Above, thunder rumbled, threatening rain, but I was barely aware. I’d just seen a unicorn. Everything seemed completely upside down, inside out. I’d seen a unicorn, only to find out that they killed them for sport. It was like realizing you’d won the lottery, only to uncover the ticket had expired yesterday.

  “You kill them?” I asked, my voice quivering in indignation. “You kill such a beautiful, harmless creature?”

  He shrugged, nearly tossing me from the mount. “Their horns fetch a lot of money, and are known for their healing benefits.”

  He was completely indifferent. Monster. My hands curled, my nails biting into my thighs. Evil, evil man. “That’s disgusting.”

  As we started downhill, I slid forward. His hand, large and warm, suddenly pressed flat to my belly, pulling me back against him. I tensed. I didn’t want him to touch me. And I sure as hell didn’t want to tremble when he did. “Let go. I’m fine.”

  He ignored me and kept his hand against my stomach. “If someone you loved was dying but could be saved by a unicorn horn, would you kill it?”

  I hesitated. He was trying to make me look stupid. “I would find another way.”

  “What way?” He laughed with a harshness that told me I was tip-toeing dangerously close to offending him. “You think we haven’t tried to find other ways?”

  “I don’t know…take them back to Earth to a hospital?” He was right; I didn’t understand this world, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t also correct. “You know, for a society that supposedly does magic, you lack a lot of common things, like hospitals.”

  “We have our own ways, much better ways than yours, I might add.”

  I snorted. “That’s yet to be seen.”

  “Rallora, if you want to survive here, it is best to learn our lifestyle, and keep your mouth
shut.”

  “My name is Shay.” I gripped his hand and tried to peel it away, but instead, I suddenly found his callused fingers entwined with mine. My mouth went dry. “And…and I’ve never been one to keep my mouth shut when I see something wrong.”

  “Well then, that might be a problem.”

  He nudged his mount forward. The other soldiers cleared a path, sensing the lord of the kingdom arriving without having to turn to look. He was so young, yet commanded so many. A cold chill whispered down my spine. He was supposed to be the sensible one, his uncle the tyrant, or so I’d overheard. So far Prince Makaiden seemed anything but reasonable.

  “I’m curious about Earth. Unicorns, sprites, fairies…you have them in your realm as well?”

  I hesitated. Damn, but I didn’t want to talk to him. At the same time, I needed answers. “No. I mean we have toys and paintings and stories about them, but not them, exactly. They’re a myth.”

  We moved by Brynjar, the Acadian soldier. My supposed ally. He gave me that same, unreadable glance he’d given me moments before. Was he telling me to keep quiet? Or was he warning me that something was going to happen?

  “And where do you think the ideas for these beings comes from?” Prince Makaiden asked, drawing my attention back to him.

  “Imagination, I thought. Made up.”

  “Obviously not.” He leaned closer, his lips at my ear. “They are as real as you and me, only they live here. Once in a while when there is a weak spot in the universe, one might slip through. This is why people from Earth people believe in our beings, because they have seen them.”

  He leaned back and the tightness in my chest eased. Was he right? I studied the details around me. From the mountains in the background, to the shimmering green grass that rolled down the hill and into the trees beside us. It was beautiful. And quiet. So damn quiet. No powerlines. No airplanes.

  Hell, I still wasn’t sure if I was dreaming.

  “You’re saying I’m in another realm? A realm where there are fairies and unicorns?”

  “Yes.” He hesitated for a brief moment, weighing his next words. “You truly didn’t know? You’ve never heard of us?”