by Dawn Brower
She didn’t have time for them to beat their chests and stake a claim. They had to get off the mountain and find Lulu. “How’s Donia?” she looked Daire directly in his eyes. “We need to leave.”
“She’s sleeping,” he replied—his voice monotone. “Has been since I carried her back inside. I don’t think she’s ready to hike down a steep mountain.” He didn’t seem inclined to wake her and trek down himself. He kept glancing at Cale and squeezing his eyebrows together. What did he think of Cale’s unexpected return to human form? She wanted to ask, but was almost afraid of the answer herself.
“Fine,” Elodie muttered. “I’m going to rest until she wakes.” She glanced between the two of them. Don’t kill each other, or you’ll both regret it.”
The night had been exhausting, followed by an equally draining morning. Elodie couldn’t remember the last time she let go and actually slept. She doubted she’d do it now, but sometimes the coward’s way out was the one option left. Facing both men when she was in turmoil would only add to it. She had to figure it out herself, and until then she’d be no good to either one of them. For now, she’d fake it.
14
Heart to Heart
Elodie curled up on the ground of the cavern. The cold had settled down within her and taken up residence. Nothing she did would bring the warmth inside, and she wasn’t sure if she wanted it to. Once she managed to get comfortable, things tended to fall apart around her. The cold made her stop and think, to appreciate what she had. Cale was different, but did that really matter? Her heart didn’t want to think it did. She loved him and would continue to. It was hard to reconcile the change in him with the man she’d grown to know so well.
“I know what you tried to do,” Cale said. His voice echoed through the cavern.
Who was he talking to? Elodie almost rolled over to face him, but remained where she was. Someone had caught his attention, and he wasn’t attempting to have one with her supposed sleeping form.
“I’m not going to pretend to understand what you’re accusing me of,” Daire responded. “All any of us have tried to do since we arrived here is go home.”
“And yet you found time to try to influence Elodie to your side.”
Cale sounded a little angry about that. How much had he overheard between Elodie and Donia? Damn that hunter for taunting her in range of Cale. She should have kicked her before they brokered their truce. She hadn’t because Cale was more important, and still was. So he hadn’t liked what he’d overheard. He should have discussed it with her, not with Daire. She could have stopped the kiss, but she hadn’t wanted to. Something in her had to find out what was between them. The kiss had gained more questions than answers; however, it had given her a place to start. Before that, she’d been nothing but confusion.
“There are no sides,” Daire said frustrated. “We all need to find a way out of Malediction. That hasn’t changed.”
“And what about when we return to Zelnon?” Cale asked. “Do you plan on forcing her to marry you?”
Daire sighed. “I would never force Elodie to do something she doesn’t want to do. Whatever happens between us is her choice to make.”
She should stop this conversation before it went any further. If Cale continued to push, they might end up fighting. She would hate it if that happened. The two males shouldn’t come to blows over her. They should be working together to find a way home. She mentally rolled her eyes. Before Malediction, Cale had been ready to push her away, and now, he wanted to stake a claim. It should make her happy, yet it didn’t.
“And how have you been helping her along? Are you hoping your influence will ensure the one you want?”
“Look,” Daire said with irritation. “We have been working to save you. She doesn’t want me and never has. Every decision she has made has revolved around what she thinks is best for you. Why would you think I had any influence over her?”
“Because you kissed her.”
That wasn’t entirely true... Daire had goaded her into it, and she’d stupidly taken the bait. But he hadn’t kissed her. He had wanted her to kiss him. It had to be on her terms, not his, for his plan to work. Daire wanted her to desire him and feel something other than hatred. What he didn’t understand was she’d already begun to think of him differently. They had something more between them. That was why she was so darned confused and unable to make a decision. Cale had made arbitrary choices without consulting her. That was what he did, and always would do. Daire included her, or at least tried to.
“The kiss was my idea,” Daire admitted. “But it was Elodie’s choice.”
“One you helped her to make,” Cale ground out. “Leave her alone.”
“That too is her decision.”
“We should take this discussion out of the cave,” Cale replied. “I don’t want to disturb Elodie’s rest.”
“Lead the way.”
Without missing a beat Cale responded with, “Why don’t we go together instead?”
Neither one wanted to be in front. That was telling, and it killed her to listen to. There was so much mistrust between them, and it all stemmed around her. They would probably end up arguing. She had to stop them. If she didn’t, it would continue to escalate. The cold had become something much worse. At least she hadn’t found any comfort on the hard cave floor. If she had, then the two idiots would have a lot more to regret—as it was, they only had to endure her anger. She rolled around, preparing to interrupt them.
“Don’t.”
Elodie glanced over at Donia. She was laying near her, but closer to the fire. “Don’t what?”
“They need to talk about this or it will cause even more problems later.”
Why did Donia feel like she had the right to tell her what to do? She didn’t know Cale or Daire at all, yet she interceded. Elodie didn’t really have any desire to put herself between the two of them. She felt like she should. Maybe Donia was right to stop her.
“I don’t see how,” Elodie interjected. “We have a mountain-load already.”
“Ha Ha,” Donia replied sarcastically. “Did you attempt a joke?”
She hadn’t. It was a mere coincidence. Elodie sat up and said, “Speaking of mountains. Cale thought you might be able to help us down this one.”
“I might know a way,” Donia admitted. “Let’s grab the crew and figure out how to get to your home. The longer I’m here, the quicker they will find me.”
Ah. The bargain they’d struck. “Why did you do it?”
“Do what?” Donia sat up to face Elodie.
“Help us. Why do you want to leave Malediction so bad? You’re the queen of the dragon hunters. That has to have some perks.”
When Donia had agreed for a price, Elodie had been grateful for it. Now that she had a little time to think about it, she couldn’t help wondering. Donia appeared to have everything, and she was ready to give it up. She’d betrayed her people and wanted to leave them. Elodie would give anything to get back to hers. She didn’t understand the girl’s motives.
“Being their queen was never something I wanted. I don’t belong here.”
Elodie lifted a brow. “Does anyone belong here?”
“Fair question,” Donia replied. “And yes, they do. The dragon was an original resident, and at one time, wreaked havoc on the world. The dragon hunters banded together to control it. The stone was their answer when killing it became impossible.”
Cale had indicated ending his life was difficult. Not that Elodie had any desire to end his life, but she couldn’t help asking, “How does one go about killing a dragon?”
“After all you went through to save him, you want to destroy him now?” Donia laughed. “Talk about irony...”
“Of course I don’t want to kill him.” Elodie stiffened. “But I’d like to understand how it’s done to prevent others from doing so.”
“Fair enough,” Donia agreed. “I’ll explain it to you, but not now. We have to get off this mountain. It’ll be the first place th
e hunters look for us.”
Elodie was far from calling Donia her friend, but she much rather have her as an ally then an enemy. They had a long way to go until they found Zelnon. Donia might have a better clue how to proceed then they did since she had been in Malediction far longer.
“How long have you been here?”
“In Malediction?” Donia asked. “My whole life. I don’t remember anything else. One of the hunters found me as a baby at the edge of a forest. Babies aren’t born here, they’re sent. If a life is created in this world, it can never leave.”
So, if she remained and couldn’t find her way home... “No children of the world are allowed to leave?”
She shook her head. “The world keeps its own.”
Elodie shuddered. She would not stay in this world. She wanted a family someday, and she refused to allow Malediction to lay claim to it. The cursed world had already stolen too much from her.
“How does a baby end up here? They’re innocent.”
Donia remained quiet for a while. They didn’t know much about each other. Elodie was trying. Maybe if she opened up about herself, the girl would feel more comfortable. She didn’t blame Donia for not trusting her.
“I lost both of my parents some time ago,” Elodie began. “My father remarried after a while. He loved my mother, but wanted me to have a female to talk to. He was afraid I’d grow up more interested in male pursuits.”
“Did you?”
“A little bit,” Elodie admitted. “Having my stepmother around didn’t help me any. We have nothing in common, and we despise each other.”
Fiona had never been well liked. She hadn’t even bothered to try. Something about her had always seemed off. Her stepmother was far from happy and took her misery out on others.
“When did you lose your father?”
“Not long after he remarried.” Elodie bit her lip. “I think she’s the one who sent me here.”
Donia nodded. “This is the place a person would send those they hate. You might be right.”
She didn’t want to be. Fiona hadn’t given her much in the way of trust over the years. The only person she truly trusted in the castle was her maid. She missed Susanna.
“I don’t know who hated me enough to send me away.”
“It probably had nothing to do with you,” Elodie responded absentmindedly. “They probably took you from your parents for some misguided revenge against them. Your loss would have devastated them.”
She nodded. “Perhaps. I’ll never know either way.”
Elodie wished she could help Donia find her family. It must be hard not to know where she came from or who she belonged to. At least Elodie had grown up in the castle and had a solid understanding of her heritage. She would be queen. Donia was lost and didn’t have a real home.
“How long have you been here?” Elodie didn’t know how old the girl was. She’d come there as a baby...that was years.
“I’m told I’m seventeen,” she replied. “Time moves differently here—faster, in a sense. While I’ve been here for years, it’s my understanding that outside of Malediction it moves much slower. When we return, if I were to find my family they wouldn’t know me. They would be expecting a little girl.”
Elodie couldn’t imagine what any of that would be like. It baffled her, and made her curse at the same time. “When I return it might be after my birthday.”
“Does that matter?”
She nodded. “It means that I’ll miss my coronation, and it would give my stepmother control. How fast does time here move in comparison?”
Donia shrugged. “I wish I knew.”
“I guess we’ll find out when we return to Zelnon.” Then she’d claim her throne and push Fiona out of the castle. It was her birthright. “Let’s go find Cale and Daire. I need to have a heart to heart with both of them, and as you said, we need to get off this mountain.”
“No time like the present,” Donia said. “What about the bird and the tiger?”
Elodie frowned. “I don’t know where Lulu flew off too. She’ll find us when she is ready.” She turned to face Kalypso. The tiger was sleeping an awful lot lately. “Kalypso, let’s go. It’s time to move on.”
The tiger stretched and yawned. She didn’t say a word as she rose to her feet. Elodie started walking with Donia beside her. Kalypso trailed behind them, probably still half asleep. They would figure everything out as they went, and once they were off the mountain she’d have a long talk with both guys.
15
Seeds of Fate
The climb down the mountain wasn’t as strenuous as Elodie thought it would be. Donia had remained quiet the entire time. Cale insisted on taking the lead with Daire bringing up the rear. The path only allowed them to travel downward in a single line. The guys had reluctantly agreed to being both ends of the group on the way down. Elodie suspected Daire didn’t want to argue with Cale anymore and had taken the role assigned to him in order to keep the peace. She was glad for the reprieve. A long talk was coming between all of them, but she wasn’t ready for it. Sometimes things happened the way they were supposed to, and in this instance, she fully embraced it.
The path had areas where it was more inside the mountain than on top of it. It was weird, and Elodie didn’t quite understand how it had been forged. Flying up to the ledge on Cale’s back had been much easier and quicker. If he could turn into a dragon at will, it would have been nice. She was glad he was a man again, but the dragon had been magnificent. She never thought she’d miss seeing the giant purple beast.
Near the bottom of the mountain they should be able to step off the path to form a different pattern in their group. It would be interesting to see how Cale insisted they travel then. He wouldn’t be able to force Daire to the back of the group as he had before. They still had to locate Lulu too. Elodie couldn’t figure out where the bird could possibly have flown off to or why she had. She’d been so insistent on saving Cale and how to do it, then left before seeing the results. What could have been so important that she’d abandon them all?
The edge of the path widened a little bit, giving them room to travel freely. Cale kept moving forward, not bothering to glance back at them. Kalypso brushed past her and fell in line next to Donia. That gave Daire the freedom to walk alongside Elodie. He must have asked Kalypso to go next to Donia. With Cale preoccupied with leading, he’d unwittingly gave Daire the opportunity to talk to Elodie. She was glad for it. They did need to have a conversation, and this was almost easier.
The pressure of being everything to everyone was a difficult one. Daire wanted her to accept the betrothal, and Cale suddenly wanted her to be his too. Maybe he always had, and something about Malediction had changed him and what he believed he had a right to. All Elodie could be sure of anymore was that nothing was certain. Why should she have to choose? She had her whole life ahead of her. Well, in theory, at least. As long as she didn’t die trying to escape Malediction.
“Something on your mind?” Elodie asked.
Daire remained silent for a few moments. She didn’t speak again. He’d tell her what he was thinking when he was ready. He could joke around and be charming when it was warranted, but Daire took far more seriously than she’d ever given him credit for. He would make a good husband to someone; she wasn’t sure it should be her.
“Does Cale seem—different?” Daire asked carefully. He didn’t meet her gaze, as if he feared her reaction to his question.
She wasn’t the only one that had noticed... How to answer that? She couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was off to her. It was there though, and it was obvious if Daire recognized it as well. “What do you mean?” Maybe he could ascertain the change better. Sometimes being close to someone blinded you to how they were... “He seems all right.”
“Maybe on the surface...”
That was true enough as well. Cale seemed healthy and whole. By looking at him, she couldn’t tell he’d been trapped inside a dragon’s body for any length of time, yet he se
emed irrevocably different. “I don’t know,” she replied. “He’s taking charge and being the leader he’s always trained to be. What do you think is wrong with that?”
Nothing. That was the answer she was waiting to hear from him. He had been trying to order them around since they all collected together. The first time that Daire, Cale, and Elodie had been in the same spot had been the field before they’d been transported into Malediction. Cale had tried to direct their actions even then. That’s how he always was. She didn’t expect anything less than that from her knight.
“His actions are fine, and yes, that is what he’d normally do.” Daire sighed. “He looks fine, and he resembles the Cale we all know. But it’s like he isn’t really there. His eyes almost seem—vacant.”
Elodie stopped at his words. She glanced up at Daire and frowned. “What makes you say that?”
“I don’t think he really wants you.” He held up his hand to stop her from interrupting. “Let me finish. The Cale that came here with us loves you. I would stake my life on that fact. This Cale only wants you because he’s supposed to. He is arguing with me, not out of any sense of jealousy, but out of ownership. Something about him is harder and...distant.”
She nodded absentmindedly. That was it. How had she not seen it. Cale had tried to stake a claim immediately. He’d kissed her, and something seemed off even then. It wasn’t their first kiss, and it felt nothing like it had before. Why hadn’t she seen what was wrong from the start?
“Maybe it’s a side effect of being trapped inside the dragon,” Elodie said. “He might start to be more himself as he becomes accustomed to being in his own skin again.”