Firelight burst into Kira’s lean-to as the
black curtain was ripped from the front of the shelter. The fabric
drifted to the ground behind Octavion as he fell to his knees in
front of her. At first, he just stayed there, staring at her, his
chest rising and falling as if he struggled to breathe. Then he
reached out with his hand.
“Kira.”
She leapt into his arms, letting go of her
emotions and crying out all the fear she’d held inside. He wrapped
her in his warm embrace and pulled her head against his chest.
“I thought I’d lost you,” he whispered.
“I felt Zerek’s hand on my cheek. I thought .
. . it was you.” Kira managed between her sobs.
“Shh . . . I am here now. You are safe.” He
brushed the hair away from her face and kissed her forehead.
“Are you okay?” Lydia asked.
Kira nodded. “I think so.”
Lydia shared a long look with Octavion. After
a few seconds, Lydia went to join Luka and Cade. Kira saw them
standing in a tight circle, though no one spoke.
Kira hadn’t realized until then that all of
them could converse without speaking. She didn’t know why it
surprised her—she should have guessed. At one point, both Luka and
Cade looked over at Kira, quickly turning back to their
conversation with Lydia. They nodded in agreement.
Kira knew exactly what they were
discussing.
“I won’t go,” she said.
Octavion let out the breath he’d been
holding, but said nothing.
Kira unwrapped her arms from his waist and
scooted away. As their eyes met, his jaw tightened. He looked
beaten and haggard. She’d never seen so much agony and concern on
his face, not even when Lydia was injured.
“Kira,” he finally said. “I don’t know what
else to do. I cannot protect you from Shandira, her warriors, the
Darkords and my own kin. I am only one man.”
“But I can fight. You know that.”
“Yes, you are stronger and have mastered your
bow, but that is not my biggest concern. What if you are injured?
How am I to fight our enemies
and
protect you from my
heritage—from them?” He motioned toward his cousins.
“You mean my blood?” She took his hand,
grasping it with both of hers. “How do you know how they will
react? Maybe it won’t be so bad.”
“I know because they have just arrived in
this world. Why do you think I live up here, Kira? Why do you think
we have those chains?”
Kira cringed at the mention of them. “I don’t
know,” she finally admitted.
“When we first came here, the temptation was
unbearable. Every new moon my sister had to bind me to prevent me
from feeding on humans. When I worked construction, I nearly killed
a man when he got a sliver in his finger.”
“But you got used to it. You said yourself
that it didn’t bother you as much.”
“Yes, but it took a long time to build my
resistance and I still have trouble controlling my cravings.”
“Octavion, please don’t make me go. What if
something happens to Lydia, I have to be close to heal her, right?
I can’t do that if I’m miles away. There might not be time for
someone to come get me.” His expression remained unchanged. Nothing
she said made a difference. She closed her eyes for a moment and
said a silent prayer that her next words would reach his heart and
somehow change his mind.
“There’s something you need to know,” she
began as she found his eyes again. “I don’t want to go back. I
don’t want the life I had before—hiding in a hole with nothing to
look forward to. Without you and Lydia, I have no one. I won’t live
like that. I need to be here. I need to be a part of this, just
like I need to be a part of your life. I love you. Please, don’t
leave me alone.”
His grip tightened around her hands as tiny
threads of yellow began to invade his dark blue eyes. “I will
not
lose you.”
“Octavion, you’re not listening. What I’m
saying is . . . I’d rather die in your arms tonight, than spend the
rest of my life without you. I’m just as afraid of losing you and
not being here to heal your wounds as you are of me being injured.
Why can’t you see that?”
He looked over at the threesome who seemed to
be eavesdropping on their conversation. “We have decided,” he
said.
Kira dropped his hand and exited the shelter.
As she backed away from the lean-to, all four of them advanced
toward her.
“Kira,” Lydia said. “Do you really think you
can outrun us?”
“Why are you doing this? I thought you were
my friend. It should be
my
choice.” As they got closer, Kira
pulled out her dagger and stabbed the air between them.
Luka laughed. “You are going to
fight
us? You are either brave or very foolish.”
She had to admit, it was a stupid move, but
she was out of options. She wasn’t sure whether to run or
surrender, but then the Crystor caught the reflection of the fire
and it gave her an idea. She transferred the knife into her left
hand and slid the blade between her wrist and the small strand of
silver. She pulled up just enough to cause Lydia discomfort.
Lydia grabbed her wrist. “Kira, don’t.”
Octavion took a step closer. “She will not do
it. She knows what will happen if she does.” He took another
step.
“You don’t know me very well, do you?” Kira
pulled up on the blade, making Lydia cry out in pain.
Octavion’s whole body stiffened. He took
another step toward her. “Kira! You have made your point.” He
stretched out his hand. “Now give me the knife.”
Luka looked over at Cade and made a motion
with his head. Cade circled around behind her, so Kira stepped back
to increase the distance between them.
“Tell me this,” Kira said. “If it weren’t for
my blood and the fear of their reaction, would you let me
stay?”
Octavion looked over at his cousins who
slowly advanced on Kira. “Yes.”
“Then perhaps we should test your little
theory.” She released the tension on the Crystor and pushed the
blade into her flesh, but not enough to break the skin. “Tell me I
can stay or I will slit my wrist right here.”
“Kira, no!” Octavion pleaded. “You will bring
them right to us.”
Kira loosened the pressure on the knife, but
didn’t remove it. “What do you mean? You told me you set a false
trail and led them miles from here.” He’d never been worried about
her blood attracting Shandira and her men before.
He swallowed hard. “I didn’t want to scare
you. We picked up their trail by the boulders, the same ones that
were in the picture.” He advanced on her as she lowered her knife
and dropped it to the ground.
“They’re here? But, why haven’t they attacked
us?”
Octavion retrieved the dagger and handed it
to Cade. “Luka and I followed their trail to the other side of the
canyon where they circled around and came back to the creek—the
place where you bathed only a few hours ago. At that point the
trail went cold. I am sure they will wait until daybreak to
attack.”
“We don’t have a lot of time,” Luka said. “We
need to plan our defense and be ready for them when they come. If
we are to take her, it must be now.”
“You’re still taking me?”
“Tell me another way, Kira. How can I keep
you safe and still be able fight these men? How will I keep my vow
to protect my sister?”
Kira shifted her focus from Octavion to
Lydia—who scarcely resembled the friend she knew. Kira hadn’t given
much thought to what this meant to her; how being forced to leave
her home and come to this world had caused her to lose her identity
and the security of her homeland. Kira had forgotten why they were
here, why all this happened and how it had begun. It was all about
Lydia—and Altaria. It was about saving her from the fatal
intentions of her own sister. This was her fight and Kira was in
the way.
Kira looked back at Octavion, still not
willing to give into their plot to send her away. “What if I don’t
fight?”
He folded his arms. “Explain.”
“I can be your eyes,” she began. “You could
hide me in a tree or behind the rocks where I have a view of the
entire canyon. When they come, I can send my thoughts to Altaria
and she can warn everyone.”
“Go on,” Luka said, stepping closer.
“Well, I sense things, like last night with
Luka and again with Zerek. I saw them in my mind. If an image like
that pops into my head, I can warn you.”
“And you will not fight?” Octavion asked.
“No, but I’ll keep my weapons close in case I
have to defend myself.” A long moment of silence filled the
clearing. “I promise to be careful.”
Luka put a hand on Octavion’s shoulder. “It
may work, cousin. She could be an asset to us.”
Octavion growled. The furrow on his forehead
was so deep, it looked painful. He shook his head and looked
intently into her eyes. “If you get hurt…”
She cut him off by leaping into his arms.
“You won’t regret this, Octavion.”
For a long moment, he was silent. Then he let
out a sigh and said, “I already do.”
Octavion knelt by the fire and drew a crude
map of the canyon in the dirt. They all listened closely as he
placed each one of them in the position they’d be best suited
for.
“Kira, I want you to hide in the rocks,”
Octavion instructed. “I think it will be the best vantage point.
They won’t know you are there and you will be able to see
everything.”
“But won’t they come there first?” Kira
asked. “That’s where you picked up their trail.”
“It would trap them in the canyon. Now that
they have been here, they will realize the entrance by the creek
will suit them better.” He demonstrated by drawing an X in the dirt
to indicate the location.
“Cade, I want you right here, across from
Kira. There’s a cluster of trees against the cliffs. It will keep
you hidden.” He looked at Cade, who nodded. “If Kira gets into
trouble—”
“I understand,” Cade cut him off. “I will not
let you down this time.”
“Luka, you and I will be here at the
entrance. We should be able to take most of them down before they
get to the creek.”
Octavion looked at Altaria, who waited
patiently for her instructions. “My original plan did not include
you, sister. You were to go with Kira.”
“And you think I didn’t know that?” she
asked. “But I would have fought you and won.” She grinned, a glint
of mischief flashed in her eyes.
“You didn’t tell me that part,” Kira
complained. “When did you decide to take her?”
“After you healed Luka’s shoulder.” He turned
his full attention to her. “I do not want you healing again, Kira.
The pain you felt in your chest gives me great concern. Your heart
may not be strong enough.”
“But what if someone’s hurt?”
“It is a chance we will have to take.”
“I’m not Serena,” Kira said. “I have a strong
heart. The only reason it hurts now is because you poisoned me with
your blood.”
“We do not have time to discuss this. You
know how I feel,” Octavion said.
“As do the rest of us,” Altaria said, firmly.
“Now where do you want me?”
Octavion stuck his knife in the map at their
bathing spot. “Do you think you can watch my back from here?” It
positioned Altaria right between Octavion and Kira.
“Yes,” she answered.
“Wait,” Kira said. “That leaves her alone.
Why don’t you have Cade protect Altaria and Toran can stay with me?
That way we’d both be protected.”
Octavion paused for a long moment, searching
the faces of the others. Altaria looked away, while everyone else
waited. “That is not an option, Kira.”
“Why not?” she asked.
Octavion sighed. “When Luka and I went after
the Darkords, we tracked them to the base of the mountain near the
foot bridge. We lost their trail, so we circled around and came up
through the canyon. We found a lot of blood near the entrance. It
was Toran’s.”
“He’s dead? Why didn’t you tell me?” Kira
felt like someone had ripped out her heart. “Did you find his body?
Maybe he’s out there somewhere bleeding to death. We have to go
look for him.”
Octavion shook his head. “No. But there was a
lot of blood and I know it was Toran’s. Luka tracked him as far as
the creek and lost his trail there. If he was alive, he would have
made his way back to the clearing by now.”
The rest of the planning session was a blur
for Kira. She sat next to Octavion, half listening and half
mourning the loss of a good friend and protector. She’d never given
much thought to how much he’d come to mean to her. Now it was too
late.
Octavion cleared his throat and stood. “Luka,
you take Altaria to the creek. Make sure she is settled before
going to your station. Cade and I will take Kira to the rocks. We
should all go at the same time, in case they are waiting for us.
Are there any questions?”
“How many?” Kira asked.
Altaria spoke this time. “We’re not sure. We
know Bastian and at least three others—and of course, Shandira. I
don’t expect her to show her face until it’s almost over. She’s a
coward. She won’t want to actually fight, just take all the glory.
And we mustn’t forget her scouts. If she’s somehow convinced them
to rejoin her, they’ll be there as well. At least the one
with
out
the mangled hand.” She winked at Kira.
“She sounds like a real piece of work.” Kira
did
not
want to meet up with her.
“She is ruthless,” Octavion said. “Remember
that.”
Altaria adjusted her sword on her back. “And
remember—she has the same blood we have. She can appear and
disappear very quickly, avoiding a blow with a blade. Don’t go up
against her, Kira. Promise me.”
“I promised not to fight unless I’m
protecting myself, remember?”
Altaria flashed her crooked grin. “I
remember, but I also know you. Promise me you won’t challenge
her.”