“Did you like what you saw?”
As her dark green eyes pinned him to the bed and a vision of her smooth pale skin flooded through his mind, all he managed was a nod. Words weren’t needed.
“Good. Now sit up so I can change the bandage on your chest.”
Aldan did as he was told and held up his arms so she could un-wrap the strips of cloth. The effort required less than it would have been yesterday and the original pain in his chest was non-existent. Her gentle hands and the scent of her bath soap chased away the last of his embarrassment.
The last strip of cloth dangling forgotten in her hand, the Princess stared un-blinking at his chest. After a moment she raised her eyes to his. “There isn’t even a scar. How is that possible?”
Aldan had known what she would find beneath the bandages, and reached out to take her hand, removing the strip of cloth and placing it with the others. “I have read that the original purpose of Blood Magic was healing, so I’m not surprised.”
Fear and sorrow fought for control of her expression as she stood and tried to pull away. “You must hate me.”
“I could never hate you, Odessa. Just the opposite. But you are wise to be afraid. The magic of blood can be very seductive. The temptation is always there to shed a little more blood to gain more power. I will help you if I can, but you will have to overcome those temptations on your own.”
She searched his eyes for any sign of deceit and finding none, leaned down to kiss him on the forehead. On the way out she turned back to him with a mischievous smile. “I’ll let the others know you’ll be down as soon as you put your clothes on.”
“Odessa!” But it was too late. Only the closed door heard him.
Aldan hurried down the stairs tucking in his shirt, his fatigue from the night before forgotten. The mood in the common room had changed drastically overnight as animated discussions sprang up at every table. Husbands and wives took turns talking and spooning hot porridge into their mouths. The children were too busy enjoying their hot meal to get into mischief.
He joined his companions at the table, where Jon favored him with a knowing smile while the Princess kept her head down and Derek greeted him enthusiastically.
“Don’t let your porridge get cold, my lord,” he encouraged. “It’s really good!”
Jon snickered, “After last night, you will need to regain your strength.”
Aldan opened his mouth to reply, but filled it with a spoonful of porridge instead, afraid that anything he said would only embarrass him further. Hot, thick and filled with nuts and berries, the porridge was indeed good, but he ate quickly so they could speak to the villagers before they left.
Thankfully, nothing more was said to tease him as four empty bowls found their way into the center of the table and the companions rose to address the villagers. Silence settled over the inn as all eyes turned to face Aldan.
“The door will reappear shortly and you all can leave to take care of your homes. However, you must return before the sun sets or I will not be able to protect you. I’m sorry, but we cannot stay here for long and must continue our journey to the Capitol.”
“But who will protect us after you have gone?” called a voice from the back.
“The best way to protect yourself from a threat is to eliminate it,” Aldan continued. “We know the goblins are holed up during the day at an inn we passed before arriving here. If enough of you are willing to help, we will rid you of their threat tomorrow.”
“Do you mean the Redleaf Inn?” another villager called out.
“I don’t know. There was no one left alive to ask,” Aldan answered quietly.
A man in front stood and gestured to the others around him. “There are no fighting men here, my lord. How can we help?”
“The goblins will be dazed and blinded by the sun. Crossbows would be preferable, but if you can swing an axe or a sword, you should be able to take them down.”
Aldan watched as every man there glanced at his wife and children, then stood with squared shoulders to face him.
“Good. Search your attics and cellars for any piece of armor you can find and sharpen anything with a blade. Bring back what you find, Jon and Derek here will show you how to use them.”
The innkeeper stared in wonder as his front entrance reappeared, then stepped up to lift the locking beam. The villagers surged through the door with promises to return.
Jon whispered to Aldan as the last of the villagers disappeared. “By the look on their faces, they know it will not be as easy as you make it sound.”
“I know, but they are good men and will do whatever is necessary to protect their families. Come, we have plenty to do today ourselves.”
Chapter Twelve ~Practice and Preparation
Jon and Derek went outside where the horses waited to be relieved of their harnesses and be groomed properly after being abandoned in the yard overnight. Odessa left with some of the villagers to offer what help she could. Aldan was left standing alone in the common room, and decided this was a perfect time to consult his Tome of Magic.
Once back in their room, he stole Odessa’s pillow and made himself comfortable in his own bed with the tiny book nestled on his lap. Speaking the words of command, it still thrilled him to watch as it grew into a large tome right before his eyes. Opening to the first page a now familiar voice greeted him.
“Thank you. I’d forgotten how nice it is to be able to communicate directly with my students, and we have a lot to talk about.”
“We do?”
“Yes, we do, my young apprentice. First, let me congratulate you on your realization that the Princess is a witch.”
Aldan sat up straight and frowned at the Tome. “She is not a witch, and it wasn’t that hard to figure out.”
“My apologies. Old prejudices die hard. You are correct. She is not a witch … yet. But that is for later. What is important is the fact that you have interfered in the business of a mage far more powerful than you and I’m glad you realized that. Now, the removal of the goblins should be straight forward, but the trick is going to be in how we prevent him from noticing.”
And so began another grueling series of lessons as Aldan was directed to a number of different pages dealing with illusions and the avoidance of detection by another mage.
* * *
How long she had been sitting there, he could not have said, but her presence gently insinuated itself into his awareness. He set the Tome aside and swung his legs out to face her, words failing him. Aldan held out Odessa’s pillow then laid it aside after she shook her head. She also appeared at a loss for words.
An awkward silence settled over them until she pointed at the Tome. “Does it speak to you in your head?”
Aldan nodded slowly, watching her expression.
“Did it … say anything about me?”
“I prefer to think of the Tome as a ‘he’, and yes, he mentioned you. He knows what you are and believes your abilities will be needed in the coming days.”
Odessa brightened noticeably as a relieved smile transformed her expression. “Well then, let us test those abilities on the food that the villagers have provided for the noon meal.”
Aldan’s stomach chose that moment to make its emptiness known and they both laughed when she stood and pulled him up from the bed and towards the door.
One of the village women stood by a table in the common room filled with several steaming pots and a loaf of bread. She called for the innkeeper to bring two mugs of ale and began to fill plates for Aldan and Odessa as soon as she saw them descending the stairs.
Aldan’s stomach embarrassed him again as he accepted the plate from the woman and thanked her. “It looks and smells wonderful, but this wasn’t necessary. We brought our own supplies.”
She ducked her head and smiled shyly. “We are beholden to ye, Mage Beaverson. For wat ye done last night and wat yer planning fer tomorrow. Please eat and enjoy.”
As they savored the unexpected gift of a hot m
eal, Aldan heard the sound of metal striking wood that came from the yard behind the inn. He glanced questioningly at Odessa.
“Some of the men have already returned with what they found. Jon and Derek are giving them a few quick lessons on how to use the different weapons. They may lack skill, but make up for it in strength and determination.”
Aldan sat back and studied Odessa until she returned his look. “After I drive the goblins out of the building tomorrow, I will be busy casting an illusion hiding us from the enemy mage. I will not be able to protect the men. You must understand that some may be injured, or worse.”
“Not if I can help it,” the princess muttered and returned to her food.
They finished their meal in silence and went outside to watch the men practice. One of the women appeared with a basket full of clothes she thought might fit them and volunteered to wash the ones they were wearing. Gratefully, all four companions rushed to their rooms and changed. Odessa and Aldan carried the basket of dirty clothes to the woman’s home while Jon and Derek returned to their weapons training.
Back in their room, Aldan returned Odessa’s pillow and by unspoken agreement both turned to their respective books for study. Later, Jon appeared at their door and announced it was time for supper.
Most of the villagers had returned to the inn, and the common room was abuzz. The confident voices of husbands boasting of their new fighting skills filled the air while their wives pretended to agree. The companions ate their meal in silence, each lost in their own thoughts on the upcoming fight.
Aldan stood to address the men and waited until the last child had been shushed. “I’m sure most of you saw the claw marks on the door and in the ground outside, so I hope there are no more thoughts on opening the door tonight. The spell to keep the demons at bay will last at least a week so you should be perfectly safe.”
Odessa rose from the table to stand by his side while Jon and Derek lifted the basket of clean laundry, ready to head upstairs.
“I would suggest that at least one of you stay awake tonight watching and listening for anything out of the ordinary. Don’t hesitate to come up and get me if you feel threatened. We will leave as soon as the sun appears above the horizon so we can reach the abandoned inn before nightfall.”
He paused for a moment to make eye contact with every man there before continuing, “Any questions?”
None were forthcoming, so the companions turned to mount the stairs, a chorus of ‘goodnights’ following them. Stopped outside Aldan’s and Odessa’s room, the guardsmen picked their clothes out of the basket and continued down the hall. Odessa held the door open for Aldan as he carried the lighter bundle inside and set it on his bed.
Aldan was still lost in thought. Illusion spells and worries of what might go wrong during the battle chased each other around inside his head. He barely noticed when Odessa answered a knock at their door and returned with a bucket of steaming water, a stack of towels draped over one arm. Confusion stopped the thoughts in their tracks as she poured some of the hot water into the wash basin, handed him a towel and sat on her bed with a smile. The single candle lit up the twinkle in her eyes.
“It’s your turn.”
“For what?”
“Aldan Beaverson, if you think I’m going to share the bed of a mage who hasn’t washed in days, think again.”
“But… you’re right there… my clothes…” he stammered, then continued in a whisper of wonder. “You want to share my bed?”
Odessa crossed her arms and began tapping her foot, shyly he turned his back to her and began to undress.
“Would you like some help?” she asked innocently.
It was a wonder his hair didn’t go up in flames from the heat on his neck. He’d never in his life had so much trouble getting out of his pants.
“I could get Jon if you need help.” Chuckling at his emphatic head shake, she grabbed her own towel.
With a deep breath, Aldan tried to relax and concentrate on the task at hand. Even with his eyes closed, the image of her standing at the wash basin returned to haunt him. Too bad the water wasn’t cold. It would have helped.
Wearing only her shift, she slipped past as he toweled off, slid under the covers of his bed, and patted the spot left open for him.
Without night clothes to wear, he held the towel tightly wrapped around his waist. Gathering his courage, he dropped the towel just before jumping into bed and pulled up the covers.
She leaned over on one arm and gently brushed the hair out of his eyes with her other hand. With a smile she bent down and surprised him with the softest, sweetest kiss he’d ever experienced.
“Odessa, I’ve never… you know.”
She laid a finger across his lips. “I know, but tonight all you get is a kiss. Now get some sleep.” With that, she curled up in the crook of his arm, and closed her eyes.
Certain parts of her body, pressed up against his, sent a warmth coursing through every fiber of his being. Sleep was a long time coming.
Chapter Thirteen ~Nest of Goblins
The Princess, as was her habit, jumped out of bed, dressed, and left for the common room before Aldan could blink the sleep out of his eyes. He sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, savoring the memory of Odessa sleeping in his arms. Unfortunately, today was not a day for fantasies. They had a job to do.
The cold water in the wash basin did wonders to banish the fog of sleep and soon his footsteps sounded on the stairs to the first floor. Odessa looked up from a corner table and waved. Leaning the staff against the wall, he joined her as the innkeeper brought out a steaming bowl of porridge.
She indicated the nearly empty room, “The goblins returned last night, but left several hours ago. The men have gone to hitch up another wagon. There are not enough horses in the village, so the men will ride in wagons.” She slid the empty bowl across the table and turned to study his face. “Are you ready for this?”
Aldan ignored the question, since it was a little late to worry about that now. But he had thought of something before falling asleep. “Do you think any of the women would be willing to join us to help take care of injuries?”
“The village herb woman has already volunteered to ride along and will bring her supplies. Some of the women filled a bag with rolled bandages should we need them.”
Shoveling the last spoonful in his mouth, Aldan stood, grabbed his staff and held out a hand to Odessa. “Shall we?”
In the yard behind the inn, the men had already returned with their wagon and the guardsmen were doing last minute checks of the equipment. Aldan would ride next to Jon as Odessa and Derek rode their horses alongside. The villagers were split up equally between the two wagons. Jon, shaved and with his gray hair tied back, guided the team out onto the road.
Aldan gauged the time by the level of the sun and turned to the senior guardsman. “It would be best if we arrived at the goblin’s lair around midday. Is that possible?”
“Maybe not right at midday, but close enough.”
Jon couldn’t help but smile as the young apprentice’s gaze followed every move the Princess made. “It is a good pairing.”
Aldan, shocked out of his reverie, stared at his new friend. “I don’t know, Jon. I feel like a fish out of water. Books and magic spells I understand, but I have yet to find a book on women.”
Jon laughed out loud. “Only a woman is able to understand another woman. Just make her happy and treat her with respect. It won’t always be easy, but it’ll be worth it.”
“Thanks, Jon. I will do my best.”
* * *
After about an hour, a resounding crash came from behind. The surprised shouts of men and the sound of thrashing horses brought them to an abrupt halt. Jon set the brake and all the men in the wagon jumped out to check on their friends.
Aldan glanced back and could see that the rear of the other wagon had fallen to one side, the harnesses twisting the horses at an odd angle. Once there, they saw pieces of the rear wheel scattered
all over the road. The men quickly sorted themselves out, then lifted and braced the wagon to relieve the strain on the horses.
“What happened?” Jon asked the driver.
“Thet old wheel prolly be rotten and no can handle all dis heavy stuff plus da men. It jus’ fell apart. Alls da men tumbled to da back and Erik there got throwed from the seat.”
They rushed over to where one of the men sat at the side of the road, holding his head. Odessa and the herb woman knelt beside him. Already, Aldan could see the swelling of Erik’s ankle. “How is he?”
Odessa stood and shook her head. “A twisted ankle and a knot on the back of his head. He will not be able to fight.”
Grumbling could be heard coming from the villagers as they milled around the broken wagon: some lamenting their bad luck and others concerned over walking the rest of the way. A few suggested they give up and try again another day.
The Princess knew they didn’t have the time and addressed the men. “No one will have to walk. Erik will stay here while a volunteer walks back to the village for a spare wheel. The horses will just have to bear the burden of two riders. It will take a little longer, but we should still arrive in plenty of time.”
A young man stepped forward, believing he could reach the village faster than any of the older men. They quickly agreed and he wished them luck as he began to jog back. Meanwhile, the horses were unhitched and the men retrieved their weapons and armor.
The heavier men were chosen to ride while the rest climbed in the wagon with the equipment. Aldan and Odessa shared one horse, while Jon and Derek rode the other and kept an eye on the wheels of the wagon. Fortunately, most of this section of road was downhill so the horses appeared to take it in stride.
Passing through the swamp and the clouds of flying insects, Aldan knew they were close. The sudden stench made it clear that the goblins were still holed up in the inn. When the shuttered building came into view, he called a halt, reluctantly let go of Odessa’s waist and slid off the back of their horse. He turned to address the men.
The Princess and the Apprentice Page 7