Authors: Kassanna
Lucky twisted his head. Just as he feared, he’d judged wrong while distracted. There was only one way in and the same way out. The stone beast plodded in place. Lucky searched the group for Tolley. Briefly, relief that his friend had not been caught swamped him. Then annoyance at his stupidity replaced the respite.
He tightened his grip on his whip and marched forward. “It be bad business to make a deal with a witch.”
“Yes, leprechaun, choose to fight. A few stripes from your hide will slake my need for vengeance until I take your head. I think I should keep you alive. Surely your companion will come to save you from your fate.” Dicklaus twisted on his saddle to face the trolls next to him. “Take him.”
“Tolley had a point. You get your men to do your dirty work. You want me? Stop playing with your dolly and come get me yourself.” Lucky pulled the knife from his hip and lifted his chin.
“Why am I always getting you out of trouble?” Tolley boomed from above them.
The trolls all looked up. Mist curled around the feet of the horses they sat on.
Lucky shook his head and sighed. He called out to Tolley, “I think it’s the other way around, ye jack ass.”
“Always with the name calling. What did you do with the woman?” Tolley called down.
“She’s as safe as I could make her, given our situation.” Lucky snorted. “The idiot and his guardsmen are the least of our problems.”
“I noticed. Stupid trolls should have made a campfire and set a perimeter for protection. Are you ready?” Tolley landed in front of Lucky, his club clutched in his hand. Glancing over his shoulder, he said, “I would never leave you to face the gallows alone, brother.”
“Enough! So nice of you to join us, giant. I’ll impale your cock on a spike next to the leprechaun’s head.” Dicklaus lifted the clay doll and whispered words near its head.
“Ye should worry about your own body parts—”
Lucky’s words were cut off when the golem wrapped its thick fingers around his neck. He dropped his whip to grasp at the monster’s stone fingers. Tolley swiveled on his heel and ran at them, his club held high as the mist solidified into a circle of old women, surrounding them. Startled, the horses reared up on their hind legs. Trolls struggled to control their steeds. Tolley gripped the monster’s wrist with one hand and Lucky’s arm with the other. He yanked the leprechaun from the golem’s grasp then shoved Lucky out of the way.
Lucky landed on his hands and knees. His knife skidded out of his grip. Torn, dirty stocking-covered feet appeared directly before him. He followed the disheveled form up to stare into the black eyes of a banshee. Her jaw dropped and a rumble started in her throat.
Lucky didn’t hesitate. He grabbed a nearby rock, pushed off the ground, and struck the hag across the face. Spittle sprayed from her mouth at the force of the blow. Her guttural screech cut off quickly as she dissipated into a whiff of smoke. Banshees dematerialized as fast as they manifested.
Behind him, Tolley struggled with the golem. Grunts and thumps followed their movements. Lucky searched the ground for his weapons. An old man with a hole gaping in his neck took form next to him, but Lucky wasn’t fast enough. His lips split and his jaw elongated. Rotten teeth were the only things Lucky saw before the grating tone of his screech rose to painful decibels.
Tolley covered his ears and fell at the golem’s feet. One by one, the trolls screamed, collapsed, and curled into fetal positions. Banshees appeared beside the fallen and wrapped their arms around each, only to disappear with their prey in a mist. Moonlight glinted off Lucky’s blade, and he crawled toward it. With his last burst of energy, Lucky lunged to grab it. The blade cut across his palm as he took hold of it by the wrong end. He flipped over on his butt and tossed the weapon at the elderly man. The thing changed, shifting into an ancient woman. The knife embedded in its heart and the banshee vanished. The weapon fell with a dull clatter to the dirt floor of the cave.
Lucky fell back, no longer able to keep his eyes open. He turned his head, his vision blinking in and out. Most of the horses were gone along with half the trolls. Unable to stay conscious, he gave in to the darkness, an image of Landis drifting through his mind.
EIGHT
Landis’ lids were too heavy to keep open and her head lolled forward. The sun was cresting over the ridge, burning off the hazy remnants of the night. She’d stayed up all night, waiting and watching for the banshee to return. The mace was slipping from her fingers and she tightened her grip.
Dubh trotted into camp, stopping short of the dead fire. He whickered while flicking his massive head. Uncertainty rippled through her. Lucky had promised he would come back, not send the unicorn. Something was wrong. Landis rose slowly. Lifting her hands palms forward, she approached the unicorn.
He bumped her palm with his snout.
She patted his neck and stared at the saddle. “Where did you lose Lucky?” There was no indication of what may have happened to the leprechaun. She skimmed her fingers along the animal’s frame and rubbed the supple, timeworn saddle.
Dubh walked into her, pushing against her shoulder.
“Okay, okay. Give me a minute.” Landis spun around and shoved the mace in the holster at her waist. She snatched up food then ran back to Dubh to stuff it into the saddlebags. Grabbing the pommel, she rammed her foot into the stirrup and swung her leg over the saddle. She took the reins and nudged Dubh with her heels on his sides.
Carefully, Dubh navigated his way across the rocky landscape. Once he leaped off the ledge into the lavender field, he galloped in the direction she’d seen Lucky staring in the day before. Beads of sweat rolled between her breasts, and the nubby fabric of the heavy cloak made her arms itch. She leaned closer to Dubh’s neck, mimicking what she’d seen Lucky do. Running at top speed, the unicorn’s muscles flexed between her legs. She glanced down. Clumps of grass and dirt flew up behind the beast’s feet.
It was hard to breathe as her ambiguity cemented into fear. She bowed her head and sent up a silent prayer that Lucky was all right. It was bad enough she’d been dropped into a world she had no clue how to survive in, but she knew she didn’t want to live here without Lucky. In a short time, he’d become not just a guide but a lover. Tears formed beneath her lids then spilled from the corners of her eyes and down her cheeks.
As stone monoliths rose up out of the ground, marking the beginning of the rocky outcropping that made up another range of black hills, Landis swiped the back of her hands at her face and ground her teeth together. Dubh trotted between the monoliths then pulled to a stop at a fissure in the wall. He paced back and forth, agitated.
She spoke against the damp fur of the unicorn’s head. “Is Lucky in there? Dubh, I need to get off and find him.”
He stopped, tramping in place. Landis released the reins and slid off the beast’s back. Her feet hit the ground, and she ran toward the cavern, noting singed spots in the grass as she passed them.
Beyond the mouth of the cave, Lucky lay on his back with his head facing away from her. A dark line marked his skin from his ear down his neck. He was deathly still. She scanned the area and found deep gouges in the dirt floor that reminded her of drag marks. Lucky’s knife lay a few feet away, covered in silt. Sure they were alone, she snatched the cloak over her head and sprinted to Lucky. Dropping the fabric next his body, she knelt beside him.
Landis placed a palm on his chest. It rose and fell beneath her fingers, and she swallowed the yelp of relief threatening to burst through her lips. She gathered the cape together, lifted his head, and rammed the fabric under his neck.
“Banshees,” he uttered in a thick brogue, his voice scratchy.
“
Shh
. Save your strength,” she said against his cheek while skating her hands along his arms. No broken bones, she was certain of that.
Landis leaned back on her haunches. She was a vet. How the hell did she administer care to a leprechaun? She stood a better chance of helping the unicorn than the man. Pushing her fingers against his neck, she checked his pulse. The strong throb under her fingertips reassured her that—what? She brushed his hair from his forehead. “Please don’t leave me,” she quietly pleaded.
There was nothing more she could do. She rose to her feet and stepped outside. Under the bright light of the sun, beautiful grasslands stretched out before her. Dubh grazed a little ways away. Landis pursed her lips and whistled. The unicorn walked toward her. Once he reached her, she opened the saddle bags and took out all she could carry.
She glanced up and studied the cliffs above her. Banshees were attracted to noise, but they couldn’t get up close and personal in a circle of light unless invited. Time seemed to be fluid here, and she had yet to figure out exactly how long night and day lasted. Landis bit the inside of her cheek and lowered her head to stare into the shadowed mouth of the fissure. Night would fall soon enough and Lucky was in no shape to travel. She needed a fire.
Landis strode into the cavern, set her burden down, and then sprinted out again. Dubh stood where she left him. She dug through the bottom of a bag, hunting for the flint she knew Lucky kept there, and stopped cold. Did the creatures come out during the day? She searched her memories for the nuggets of information the leprechaun had imparted to her. Landis shook her head.
Fire first.
She grabbed the cold stones and pushed them into her jeans pocket. Quickly as she could, Landis unbuckled the saddle and yanked it off the unicorn’s back. It fell to the ground on its side. She kicked it straight with her foot and reached over to jerk off the blanket beneath it from Dubh’s back. Free of the load he’d carried Dubh cantered in a circle.
“I don’t know where you’d go, fella, but I can’t move Lucky and at the moment he’s incapacitated. Go hide, or do whatever you do.” She slapped his flank.
Dubh reared his head and glanced back at her. His mane whipped the air as he shook his head.
She held the animal’s gaze. “Don’t give me a hard time, please. It will be tough enough trying to keep the leprechaun safe until he can defend himself. I don’t want what could happen to you on my conscience. Get the hell out of here. Come back when it’s safe.” Landis sighed. “Hopefully we’ll still be here in one piece.”
The unicorn slapped his tail across her body. Stray hairs slid over her lips.
“Ouch.” She sputtered, pulling them out her mouth. “That’s just nasty.”
Dubh pulled back his lips, showing all his teeth, and sprinted away. She crouched to pick up the saddle blanket then tossed it over her shoulder. Wrapping her fingers around the pommel, she lifted the saddle. Her muscles strained under the weight of the burden as sunrays seared her forearms and moisture peppered her forehead and upper lip.
Screw this.
She started to drag the saddle. Pebbles scraped the underside of the leather as she inched backward.
It took longer than she expected to get the heavy load settled next to Lucky. Thankfully, it was cooler in the cave. Landis took the blanket off her shoulder and covered Lucky’s prone body. Breathing heavily, Landis plopped down next to him and wrapped an arm around her legs. She needed to go find wood and tinder. A fire would give them some degree of safety.
“You’ve been busy,
Mo Shearc
.”
Landis jumped at the low timbre of Lucky’s tone. His voice sounded like he had gargled with rocks. He turned his head, and she stared into his clear hazel eyes. She stabbed a finger in the air in his direction. “When you’re better, you and I are going to have a long talk about running head first into dangerous situations.”
He chuckled as he struggled to sit up. “Your wit is entertaining.”
“Stay still!” She hastily crawled across the few feet separating them and pressed a palm to his chest.
He wiped a hand down his face before placing it over hers. “I’m a fast healer. We can’t stay here.” He cupped the back of her head. “Now that I know your safe, I need to find Tolley.”
“Tough. I’m sure the giant can take care of himself.” She clutched his bicep. “Plus I told Dubh not to come back until it’s safe.”
“Lass,” he shook his head, “I’ve no doubt the banshees will be back…”
“Then keep your mouth shut.” She rose up on her knees and dug into her front pants pocket. “And make yourself useful.” She placed the flint in the center of his palm. “We need a fire.”
Landis got to her feet and went in search of wood. Yeah, the sun was shining bright, but she had to focus on something to keep her sanity, so building a campfire became her focus.
~ * ~
Lucky watched Landis as her bottom twisted with every step she took. The woman had practically changed overnight. Gone was the fearful, indecisive lass he’d met three days ago. He coughed and she glanced over her shoulder from the mouth of the cave. Lucky waved her away and she disappeared into the light beyond the entrance. His cock stirred to life from that intense glance. A burst of laughter escaped him and echoed through the area. He was whole and alive, and so was she. Landis was tougher than he’d expected. He dropped his head back to stare at the ceiling. She probably surprised herself.
He turned and peered at the spot where Tolley had fought the golem. His friend went down, but he was still there when the last banshee left. That could mean only one thing—Dicklaus had survived and taken him. Lucky combed his fingers through his hair. But why leave him behind?
Memories of the battle filled his mind. The troll king had lost almost all his horses and half his men. He had no place to put Lucky. The golem probably carried Tolley until he could move under his own steam. The old troll and his men were battered, beaten, and probably walking. Without their steeds, it would take them twice as long to get back to Droicheal.
In the meantime, Lucky had to find a safe place for Landis to stay, and he didn’t have time to take her into the Winterlands. Once Dicklaus got Tolley behind the castle’s walls it would be hell to break him free. Lucky closed his eyes. The safest place for her was with him. She’s already proven she could take care of herself. There was only one other place he knew of where no one would be able to get to her.