Chapter 7 #3
The soft voice offered temptation, and Ellard froze. His gaze cut to Gweneth. No, she hadn’t heard. He frowned in indecision. Somehow, his feline must be sending him messages. Either that or they had invisible company.
Still, a kiss wasn’t a bad idea. Gweneth deserved one, given her pragmatism and sensible reaction to their situation. Before he could talk himself out of the idea, he bent over her and kissed her pink, tempting lips.
She never hesitated, kissing him back, enticing him to linger and savor. When his brain began to work, he lifted his chin. For a long sec, they stared at each other.
She swallowed, and her tongue darted out to soothe her full bottom lip. “Um, what was that for?”
“A thank you,” he said gruffly. “You’re injured, yet you’re not panicking. Instead, you produce a knife from your boot. Thank you for not behaving like one of the castle ninnies.”
“Ninnies?” A smile curved her lips, drawing his avid attention. “Ellard?”
“Kiss her again. Please.”
The small voice sounded close to his ear. Not his imagination.
He closed the distance between him and Gweneth. “I think we have company,” he breathed against her lips. “I’m going to kiss you again. Watch behind me to see if you can see anyone.”
He didn’t give Gweneth time to reply, settling in to kiss her. He’d previously restrained himself and kept the kisses as innocent as she’d allowed him. This time, he sank into the pleasure and gave her one of his very best, using every bit of technique he’d learned since he became sexually mature.
Gweneth responded so sweetly, her soft groan like a caress down his back and over his arse. A shudder worked through him as she opened to him. Unable to resist, he explored the silken depths of her mouth. Her tongue danced with his, and she issued another sexy moan.
When he pulled back, they were both breathing hard.
His gaze darted to her mouth. Her lips appeared redder than normal and swollen. A sense of satisfaction suffused him. “Did you see anyone?”
A flush collected in her cheeks. “Sorry. My eyes closed. I couldn’t help myself. Can you help me up? I can’t see anyone.”
“Sheera? Leeam?” Ellard swung in a slow circle but saw nothing but trees. “Maybe it’s my imagination. Give me your hand, and I’ll pull you up.”
“No. I need to crawl to my feet. Just hold on to my arm and help me balance.” As she spoke, she rolled and used her arms to push to a crouch.
Ellard watched her face, saw the strain in her features, and a sense of pride engulfed him at her lack of complaint. He helped guide her until she stood fully upright. “Are you okay?”
“I’m sore, but we need to move. I can’t see anyone,” she added.
“You go first. Cast out with your feline senses, test the air to scent for danger.”
Gweneth wrinkled her nose. “I can’t do any of that.”
“Trust your gut. We need to proceed with caution.”
Gweneth set a slow pace, and he watched her for a time.
When she didn’t flag, he paid more attention to their surroundings.
The sense of someone observing them persisted, yet he couldn’t hear a sound.
He would have thought the Incorporeal couple would have made their presence clear since he’d mentioned Niran.
Must be a reason because his instincts weren’t playing him false.
Someone had attached themselves to them. Someone was observing their every move. Someone followed them through the forest.
Gweneth limped along the natural path that wound through the trees. Smooth and well-worn. Something…someone had made the path.
Up ahead, bright whitelight shone on the trail.
“It’s quiet. There should be birds and insects.” Gweneth came to an abrupt halt. “This clearing is full of those weird tube plants. Oh my stars! Did you see that?”
“What?”
“A small bird was perching on a bushy olive-green tree on the edge of the clearing. That tube thing sent up a green tendril and snatched the bird right out of the tree.”
“I hope the one that ate my arm gets indigestion,” Ellard muttered. “Those things aren’t cheap. I cleaned out my savings to make the purchase.” And even worse, the Stores was a one-time installation. He forced his mind off the unpalatable fact.
“Part of the clearing has rocks. None of the plants are anywhere near them. I think they have to stick to the soft ground.”
“And near water. This clearing has a pond too. We’ll have to go around.
” Ellard checked for a suitable route. Thick tree growth surrounded the glade.
Off the beaten path, bright green plants grew in thick abundance.
Each stalk carried a series of sharp spikes.
“We’ll circle the clearing. Let me go first so I can break through the undergrowth. ”
“Wait.” Gweneth grabbed his arm. “I can hear something.”
Ellard sent his senses soaring, his feline stirring as if he anticipated danger.
“No danger,” the voice whispered.
But Ellard didn’t move and remained still, casting out his senses to understand what might make the cracking noise. He caught Gweneth’s gaze, and she mouthed at him, then turned a quiet circle to take in their surroundings. So, she’d heard the voice too this time.
The crashing sounds continued, coming closer. Ellard signaled Gweneth, and they both edged off the path and hid behind a tree.
A bird appeared, but not like any bird he’d seen before.
A weird grating moan came from the clearing, and the plants pulled back from the edges until they stood in a solid mass of white and mustard.
Their writhing green tendrils retracted until they were short stubs attached to each plant.
A second and a third bird trailed the first, equally huge in size.
Their hefty legs and talon feet crushed the twigs and sticks on the path.
Their bodies were birdlike but on a large scale, and they possessed long necks with small heads and beady yellow eyes.
Their brown feathers appeared almost furlike.
“They made the path,” Gweneth whispered, her breath warm against his ear. “Let’s hope they’re vegetarian. I’ve seen something similar on the planet Ornum. The birds I’m thinking of are rare, but they’re plant-eaters.”
“I wish the dragons had told us about the dangers here,” Ellard murmured, not taking his gaze off the approaching birds.
“Maybe they don’t know,” Gweneth said. “If they can’t fly over without getting pulled at by the glittery fever, why would they travel here?”
“But Niran and his people come here. He should’ve mentioned something.”
Gweneth shrugged then winced. “Maybe he was too worried.”
“No danger,” the voice whispered.
“I hope you’re right.” As Ellard spoke, the nearest of the huge birds stared straight at him.
Ellard froze, and the bird gave him another searching look before it ambled past. At the edge of the clearing, it waited.
The moans from the plants increased in intensity.
The other two birds lined up beside the first, and without warning, they charged.
The plants shrieked, but the birds ignored the cacophony.
They seized one flower tube, and with combined effort, they dragged it from the group.
The tube screamed and struggled, helpless in the grip of the birds.
They dragged it from the clearing and into the trees.
As soon as they reached the dim light, the tube’s struggles ceased.
“That answers two questions,” Ellard said. “The plants need the whitelight, and the big birds prefer vegetables. Let’s go. If we hurry, we can skirt the clearing while the tubes are in a tizzy.”
Gweneth nodded and stepped onto the path. She muttered under her breath, pausing to stretch her right leg before hustling toward the clearing.
The birds had devoured the tube and strutted back toward the massed plant tubes. The high-pitch screeches resumed, but Ellard didn’t pause to look, instead striding after Gweneth.
The track reached the base of a hill, and the gradient increased. The trees were thinner here and the rocks glittered different colors in the whitelight.
“Might find a cave,” Gweneth said.
“Maybe.” The top of the hill appeared flat. “If we climb up here, we might see where we are. The dragons will send out searchers if we fail to return.” At least, he hoped that would be the case. Ransom had struck him as an honorable male.
“Danger,” the ghostly voice whispered, so faint Ellard wondered if his imagination played him false. But that little voice hadn’t steered them wrong so far.
“Let’s stay in the trees during this blacklight,” Ellard said. “Stay under the cover of the trees and observe before we make any decisions.”
Gweneth gave a tired nod. “I’m not sure I could make the journey at present. Every single muscle is singing a protest in time with my brain.”
“Why didn’t you say?”
“Wasn’t safe to linger.”
Ellard bit back his protest at her logic. She’d done what she needed to do to get to safety, and now he needed to do the rest.
The familiar drone of a ship had him peering through the trees. The pilot wouldn’t see them through the mass of vegetation.
“Quick, run back to the clearing. Try to hail them.”