THE CRY FOR FREEDOM (Winds of Betrayal) (23 page)

But subtle changes have emerged. Little by little fear begins to resurface that their world; their very existence is once again threatened. They look to the skies anxiously awaiting their warrior; questioning perchance if the Great One has forgotten them.

I know this how? For I am the one born to defend their world. I, Kela Calledwdele, was born a Euchoun. I am their warrior
.

EXCERPT

The trail back to the cottage was well worn, but a long walk. I didn’t care. I needed the time. The sounds of the Forest surrounded me. Sounds that now I found comfort in. Suddenly over head a shadow appeared silhouetted the ground beneath me from the moonlight. I look up as I climbed over a small rocky hill. I glanced upward wondering who was leaving the castle.

In the moonlight, his wings spread wide over the cloudless sky. He circled over head. My eyes lay mesmerized upon the Sordarin who within moments landed before me. He did not say a word at first. He just stood there, too close, too tall, too dark. He smiled at me.

“Are you heading somewhere?” Cono smiled a wide arrogant grin.

“Should you not be back at the castle with everyone?” I said. “My destination is not your concern. Now, please go along with your flight. I have no intentions of detaining you.”

“You’re not,” he reached out and touched my face. I recoiled. I have never been touched in that manner for any reason. “I have waited for this opportunity to talk with you without everyone’s ears.” He paused for a moment, glancing down at my bare feet. “The slippers weren’t comfortable?”

My eyes flamed. To be ridiculed! I stepped around him. His arm halted my progression. “You walk unprotected in the dead of night?”

“You don’t know me well,” I answered blandly. “I’m not afraid. Of what? Why would someone try to harm me?”

“I can think of a few reasons,” his eyes glanced over me in a way that made color rush to my cheeks. Happy at least the night’s dim light hid my embarrassment.

I faced him in the night. “I can well take care of myself. I have been trained well.”

“In that I don’t question,” His head tilted to hold to my eyes I had tried to divert. He looked upward. “It is a grand night for a flight. Do you not think?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

“Then it is time to find out.”

Without another utterance, his arms rounded me and upward he soared. My arms instinctually clutched his neck. He laughed heartily. “It is better than blasting at me. Much better.”

At first I dug my head into his chest. I closed my eyes and faced the wind. Oh, the taste of what freedom! Slowly I opened my eyes. I drank in the feeling, the sight and the remembrance of once before flying high in the sky with the one that held me. I wanted it to go on forever for the Sordarin warrior who held me to bring me out of Forbidden Forest. Instead he lit upon the cliffs high above the Forest.

His arms released me and I stood along the edge. So tiny all beneath my gaze. Oh, the beauty. I turned to find his eyes dancing upon me. The anger igniting within me only moments before dissipated.

“Thank you,” I uttered. “This is so beautiful.”

“It is,” he agreed as he stepped closer to me, so close I could feel his breath upon my neck.

His arms rounded me, pressing my face to his. My lips pulsed beneath his touch. My whole body did from his proximity and gaze. I gritted my teeth. Why was I doing acting like a fool!
His dark eyes considered me. They lured me. Their color deepened. He smiled vaguely.

He looked handsome with the moonlit highlighting him in the darkness. I had no time to consider my situation when he lowered his head. His lips touched mine delicately and kissed me softly. His lips lingered a moment, rested only an extra instant. He cupped the nape of my neck with his strong hand and kissed me again. This time, I responded back.

My body trembled with his touch. The kiss, his closeness, his kiss provoked something inside of me that caused me to forget for a moment all around me. When he broke from me, I stared up at him in shock. I would have stepped back but his arms held me tightly.

“I don’t want you to fall.”

My eyes widened with fascination of the depth of feeling he evoked within me. Finally, however, I realized he was playing with me. “Let go,” I said. “You may do this often. But I will not be treated such. I may look as though…”

He shook his head, then kissed me again. “I have never done this before, nor wanted to with anyone else.
  I told you I wanted to talk with you. I want to understand all that you have been through for the last four years. It may well have been four years, but I remember well the power surging through you. And in all it may show conceit, but I believe well that you are stronger with me by your side.”

“I don’t understand what you are saying.”

“I’m saying I witnessed a Euchoun almost destroy the entire Royal Unit with one blast when I touched her. I fought along side of her when she helped destroy an Arachnidaens leader. I have dreamed of a girl in a mist for years. I have felt a pull toward something I can’t explain until I saw you when you saved your sister. Did you not hear me when I called to you? I did not speak a word, but you heard me. Didn’t you?”

I stared strangely at him. I nodded only. I had heard the words and trusted him. “I did, but in all, Cono, I know all I have been trained to do. Your words…Johannes says that I’m too naïve. I will not be used. I know what my purpose is and will complete it…”

“With me.”

“With you?”

“Kela, can you not understand? From the beginning it was you and I. Within you now, even though you words say different, you do not fear me,” his hand caressed my face. “No, you don’t fear me. You feel the pull, the call within us. Us. Kela, we are bonded and have always.”

“Bonded? With you? You want to be bonded with a girl? I know of no other except my brother. Johannes thought perchance I was to battle alone…,” My voice waded for he shook his head.

He reached down and took my hand in his. He brought it to his lips and kissed it. “You have a power within you that few have seen. My grandmother has always been believed that the bond was between us. With following you within the tunnel that night, the blast when we retrieved you, and if the legends hold to be true, it will be needed. Do you doubt me?”

“I know of no other bonds that find one in another’s arms.”

“In that I’ll admit. It may play that I should keep my hands off of you, but in that also Kela I feel drawn to you as I have never been drawn before. Tell me you don’t feel it also.”

“How am I to compare?”

“Then I take it as a yes. I don’t want you comparing. I want your eyes only on me,” he laughed. “This is good, but beware, Kela. I have not the best of tempers and my patience is none existent at times. I put nothing in front of my mission. Nothing.”

“Neither do I.”

His hand found my face again. “In this I know we are to fight together, be together, Kela. I don’t know why King Edulf has hidden you for these years. I don’t know why, but I do know that we are going to the Payelaga Desert. I want you there with me.”

“How? Openly flaunting…”

“I have thought of it. Johannes is going with Falco. He can help. I will take you there as my page. No one will question me. You will be beside me without question and we will see where all leads. Are you ready to meet your destiny, Kela?”

“Yes,” I said simply.

Contact Jerri Hines at:

twitter.com/jhines340.com

http://jerrihines.org/

Jerri Hines Booklist

The Cry For Freedom, Book One, Winds of Betrayal Series

Embrace of the Enemy, Book Two, Winds of Betrayal Series

Kiss of Deceit, Book Three, Winds of Betrayal Series

The Heavens Shall Fall, Book Four, Winds of Betrayal Series

Coming 2014!

The Judas Kiss, Book One. Tides of Charleston Series

The Promise, Book Two, Tides of Charleston Series

Another Night Falls, Book Three, Tides of Charleston Series

Carrie James Haynes Booklist

Whispers of a Legend, Part One- Shadows of the Past- Free!

Whispers of a Legend, Part Two- The Path Now Turned

Whispers of a Legend, Part Three- Vision of Destiny

Whispers of a Legend, Volume I

Whispers of a Legend, Part Four- Time of the Nuxvenom

Whispers of a Legend, Part Five- Heir of Witheleghe

Coming Soon!

Dreamscape, Dream Walker Series

Colleen Connally Booklist

Seductive Secrets- Book One, Secret Lives Series- Free!

Broken Legacy, Book Two, Secret Lives Series

Coming February, 2013

Seductive Lies, Book Three, Secret Lives Series