Chapter 19 #2
She did not. For that matter, she wasn’t used to traveling as a bird. She’d only used this form when she had to in order to spy or escape.
I hate heights!
And she did. Her heart pounded furiously. This was a last resort, and she wanted to be anywhere but here in the sky.
This or death.
Because she had a bad feeling that if he caught her, she wouldn’t survive it.
I will not be broken by the likes of him.
Or captured, either. He was a coward who attacked from the rear when others were distracted. She had no respect for such a beast. There was no honor or decency in him.
She dove into an air current and used it to increase her speed. As she did so, Gisela saw a number of ships below. They were docked in a harbor.
If she could just make it to those, she’d have a chance of getting rid of her nuisance.
A screech sounded right behind her. He was almost on top of her now.
That left her one choice.
She turned into a squirrel and fell quickly toward the sea. Her descent was terrifying.
But what choice did she have?
Diflyn flew on as she went down. After a few seconds, she transformed again into a small fairy. At least like this, she could fight.
While fairies couldn’t fly as high as a bird, nor anywhere near as fast as a falcon, they were warriors, too.
Fiercely so.
But the one thing she didn’t think about as she landed on board a ship…
How many enemies the fairies had. Enemies who quickly surrounded her with drawn swords.
Shit. What have I done?
The captain stepped forward. In this form, she barely reached his knee. “Why are you here, fairy?”
By his dark skin and the symbols painted on his face, she knew he was a Marauder—one of several races that called Cosaria home.
Holding her hands up to let them know she was unarmed, she addressed the captain. “I was being pursued. Forgive me for landing without permission.”
“Don’t trust her. Fairies know nothing of the truth. I say we throw her to the sharks.”
“I’m good with that,” Gisela assured them. “Toss me overboard. I deserve it.”
Since they had no idea that she could become a shark herself, that confused them. While she might not know how to swim as a human, she definitely could manage as a fish. It’d been what had allowed her to follow Xaydin to the merfolk.
She smiled at the Marauders. “I’ll just dive right over the side here. No need to trouble yourselves.” She inched her way toward the railing.
“Stop!”
She froze at the fierce shout.
“Do you think us stupid?”
How did she respond to that? “I don’t know you well enough to make any judgment as to your character or intellect.”
Drawing his sword, he narrowed the distance between them. “What game are you playing?”
“No games. I’m just trying not to die.”
And before they could respond, something hit the boat hard and sent the bow dipping below the waves.
The crew cursed as they were thrown about. Several went overboard.
“Sea monster!” they screamed and shouted.
Gisela winced. Not a sea monster.
Diflyn in the form of a giant squid.
Shit and shit again. What was the predator for a kraken? Her mind went suddenly blank. Every creature had something that hunted it.
Dragon was the first thing to come to mind. Of course, she’d never tried becoming one of those before.
Could dragons swim? She had no idea.
Think, think, think…
How she wished she’d paid closer attention to her biology books.
Diflyn lunged at the ship again. Grabbing the masthead, it was obvious that he intended to take the ship down.
Gisela was just about to turn into a fish to escape him when a giant sperm whale broke the surface. Gaping, she watched as it snapped its jaw around Diflyn and dragged him toward the sea.
The two giant beasts fought each other while the Marauders did their best to save their ship. They dropped sails and tried to catch the winds that would take them to safety.
Gisela returned to her bird form to escape while the others were occupied.
But as she returned to the skies, she glanced back at the whale and squid.
Diflyn turned into an orca and when he did so, the whale vanished.
She gasped as she realized the whale had to be another shifter. One who’d been willing to help her. Why?
Wait a second. Could that possibly be…?
“Ronan?”
The odds seemed to be against it, but who else would have helped her?
At the moment, it didn’t matter. She needed to get herself out of this mess as quickly as she could.
Flapping her wings, she headed for shore. As soon as she was past the docks, she returned to her human form, then conjured clothes to wear.
Sadly, she couldn’t manifest weapons or do any other useful magic like others of her ilk could. But she’d take this, as it allowed her to blend in with the crowd. With any luck, Diflyn wouldn’t be able to find her now. There were too many other humans about for him to locate her.
At least, she hoped that was true.
“Gisela!”
She paused at the call from an unfamiliar voice. It’d been a woman.
Turning about, she tried to find the source.
No one seemed to be paying any attention to her at all.
Maybe she’d imagined it.
That was her thought until she tried to turn down an alley. Out of the shadows a shorter woman emerged to block her way.
The gold star in the center of her forehead was similar to the one the Marauder captain had borne.
When she tried to step around her, the woman refused to let her pass. “Ronan sent me after you. I’m Mischief.”
Of course, she was. It made perfect sense. “How did Ronan know I was here?”
“Xaydin sent word earlier that you were missing. We were about to begin our search when the giant squid attacked my brother’s ship.”
“Your brother hates fairies.”
Mischief laughed. “You have no idea. But it’s a hatred they deserve.” With her hand on the hilt of her sword, she stepped back and gestured for Gisela to go first.
“Where are you taking me?”
“To wait for Ronan to join us.”
Even though it made sense, she was reluctant to follow. She didn’t know this woman. Why would she give a stranger her back?
Mischief quirked a grin. “You don’t trust me.”
“Why would I?”
“Fair point. But I mean you no harm. I am an Outlaw. I’m here to help you.”
Another person her mother had ordered her to kill. That list was getting longer.
Which meant her life was getting shorter if her mother ever found out that she’d failed to do her duty. A smart assassin would kill them all and be done with it. Go home and return to the life she knew.
But that was easier said than done. She liked the Outlaws, more than she should.
You’re betraying your mother.
In her mother’s eyes, that was true.
But her mother had never trusted her any more than she’d trusted her mother. Not the way Gisela trusted Xaydin. She knew he’d be there if she needed him.
That the Outlaws would help her.
She wasn’t so sure with her mother.
Gisela didn’t want to be a betrayer. For that matter, she didn’t want to be an assassin.
What do you want?
To be a protector like the Outlaws. To help others, not destroy them.
“What the…” Mischief’s eyes grew wide as her voice trailed off.
Gisela turned to look over her shoulder to see what had the Outlaw so transfixed.
Then, she wished she hadn’t.
Holy gods…
The street behind them was flooding with centaurs.
An army of them.
Dozens were coming in through portals, running down the street and striking anyone who got in their way.
Mischief pulled her into a nearby alley. “This is an act of war.”
Maybe. “Meara doesn’t have a contract with Vaskalia.” The contract she’d signed with them had died with Xaydin’s father. His brother had never renewed it because no one had ever dreamed centaurs would war on ogres, giants and trolls.
Shaking her head, Gisela peeped down the street to the growing army. “Why is Meara doing this?”
“No idea.” Mischief took her hand and pulled her deeper into the alley. “We need to rendezvous with the others.”
“Others?”
“Xaydin, Masakage and Candara.”
“What about Ronan?” Gisela asked.
“He can take care of himself, and he’ll meet us as soon as he can.”
That sounded like a plan to her.
“Halt!”
Gisela turned to see a centaur behind them. Mischief turned to engage him.
“No!” Gisela stopped her from escalating the situation. “Get to the others. I’ll take care of this.”
Mischief hesitated before she nodded.
Gisela held her hands out as she kept the officer from pursuing Mischief. “What are you doing here, Captain?”
He angled an arrow at her heart. “On your knees.”
“I’m Gisela of the Queen’s Guard and I’m here on her business. Lower your weapon.”
He hesitated. “Her majesty said nothing of this in her orders to us.”
“What are your orders?”
“None of your business.”
Aggravating beast. “Let me get my papers.” Gisela slowly reached into the pouch at her waist. She pulled out her royal dispensation that bore Meara’s seal, thankful that while she couldn’t conjure weapons, she could at least conjure this.
She held the parchment out toward the captain.
A white equine, he had dark human skin and black, suspicious eyes. He approached her slowly until he was able to take the paper from her hand.
His lips moved as he read the decree that gave her authority to act on the queen’s behalf. There were only a handful of them who held that document. Mostly because her mother didn’t trust them not to get her into trouble with the High King who was already looking for any reason to go after her.
He examined the seal. “Gisela…are you her assassin?”
She nodded.
“Then you’re under arrest.”
Those words were so unexpected that it took her a few seconds to react as the centaur came forward.
“I serve the queen!”
“You’re a traitor, and we’re under orders to arrest or kill you.”
Gisela lunged at him.
Shoving her away, he called out for others to assist him in arresting her.
She immediately returned to her bird form and launched herself toward the sky.
Arrows followed after her.
She dodged one, but the moment she did, it threw her into the path of another. Pain exploded in her shoulder as the arrow ripped through her wing. Unable to stay airborne, she tumbled toward the ground.
Gisela tried to catch herself, but the pain was too much. She hit the ground hard and then exploded back into her human body.
She tried to summon clothes but couldn’t. The pain was too great and made it impossible for her to concentrate on anything other than maintaining her form. She heard the centaurs rushing her.
Get up! She shouted at herself, doing everything she could to crawl forward.
It was useless. Blood was smeared on the ground, all around her and her side was pouring even more.
So, this is how I die.
She’d always wondered when and how it’d happen. Strange how it left her cold and ambivalent.
The only thing she’d always known…
She was alone for the event.
“The queen wants her head!”
Of course, she did. No doubt her mother would add it to her collection.
These were the last minutes of her life and the only thing that flashed through her mind was images of Xaydin. The memory of being loved and of loving.
Her only regret was that she’d never get to tell him that she loved him.
Closing her eyes, she waited for the centaurs to end her.
Just as they reached her, a blast sounded. One so loud that it was deafening. Sparks flew around her, lighting up the entire alley.
And then she felt it.
That massive presence that was so powerful it shook the air around him.
Xaydin.
Strong, muscled arms surrounded her before he lifted her from the ground and cradled her against his chest. Tears welled in her eyes as she met his tender gaze.
“No one shames my lady,” he growled, pulling his black cloak around her.
With one kiss to her brow, he handed her over to Masakage. “Protect her.”
Then he went after the centaurs who’d made her bleed.
Joy spread through her as he caught the captain with one vicious punch to the face.
Masakage laughed as Candara swept past him to help Xaydin.
Gisela bit her lip. “I should be with him.”
“Not until we patch your wound. You can’t help anyone if you’re dead.”
Probably true, but still…
Xaydin was here. He’d come for her.
“How did you find me?” she asked Masakage as he carried her down the street while she cradled her wounded arm.
“I don’t know. Xaydin figured it out somehow. I’ve never seen anything like it. He was absolutely determined.”
She hugged him, then kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”
Masakage actually blushed. “Don’t thank me for taking care of family. It’s what we do.”
Family…
While she had those she shared blood with, she’d never known the bond before. But he was right. Masakage, Candara, Xaydin and even Ronan were her family now.
She’d do anything for them, especially Xaydin.
Masakage took her to a small, empty sloop.
“Where’s everyone?” she asked.
“This is Mischief’s. She and her crew are helping fight the centaurs.”
Of course they were.
Family.
A tear slid down her cheek. “I need to be with Xaydin.”
“Xaydin needs to know you’re safe. The worst thing you could do is endanger his heart.”
“I don’t understand.”
Shaking his head, Masakage took her to the captain’s chambers and placed her on the small bed.
He pulled the cloak back to see the wound that was high on her ribs, almost to her shoulder. The moment he saw it, he hissed. “That has to hurt.”
“I’ve had worse, but it’s a contender.”
With a laugh, he used his powers to stop the bleeding.
When he went to do more, she stopped him. “Go to Xaydin and keep him safe.”
“He wants me with you.”
She put her hand on his. “I promise I’ll stay right here. But I need you to take care of my heart. Please, Masakage. He’s wounded, too. Bring him back to me in one piece and breathing.”
Hesitation darkened his eyes before he nodded. “Remember, it’s my life in your hands. Don’t get up! Last thing I need is an ass-whipping from a pissed off troll.”
She laughed, then grimaced as he conjured clothes for her and then left.
Xaydin had come for her. She still couldn’t believe it. No one had ever done that for her before.
This was the most wonderful moment of her entire life.
Sighing, she pulled his cloak tighter about her and inhaled his masculine scent. Warmth spread through her.
She’d rather be wrapped in his arms, but this was a close second. Happier than she’d ever been, she pulled her clothes to her and dressed.
Just as she secured the last buckle on her jerkin, she heard someone walking across the deck above her.
Some of the Marauders must have returned. She hoped that meant they’d won the fight.
As she pulled the cloak back around her, the door to the cabin opened.
And Meara stepped in.