Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Aaran
B y nightfall, we are far enough south that the chances of sea dragons are very slim. That’s not to say that Venora’s other minions aren’t seeking us, but for the moment, the sea is calm.
Maybe I should be below holding Harper and sleeping, but I can’t leave the deck until I feel we are out of danger. With a sword at my side and a bow and quiver next to that, I stare up at the stars. Arcania glows purple on the horizon.
The deck creaks, and in a long white shirt and shoes, Harper is picking her way past the sleeping forms of our companions to the bow where I’ve made my resting place on higher ground. She lies down next to me.
“What are you wearing?” I wrap my arm around her as she settles in with her head on my shoulder.
With a shrug, she tugs the fabric. “I found it in a box at the back of the closet with some other clothes. I’ve washed our clothes in salt water. At least the blood and sweat will be gone.”
“Thank you. You didn’t have to do my washing.” I changed when I went to Cara to heal my wounded shoulder. I had an extra set of clothes in my bag, while Harper was already wearing her extra clothes.
“I was washing anyway. How is your shoulder?” She adjusts her body and settles again.
Keeping her head on my biceps, I turn to face her. The bruise under her eye has darkened, and she looks as if she’s been in a fistfight. I skim my thumb along the mark. “My shoulder was healed and is only a dull ache now. How are you?”
She smiles, and my heart tightens. “I feel as if I’ve had a fierce battle with seven children and a rolling sea.”
“You should have let Cara heal you.” I send the little magic I have to ease her pains. The day has drained my magic and my energy.
Pulling back, she shakes her head. “I’m fine. They’re just bruises. You need to recover, and that’s not going to happen until the sun comes up tomorrow. If nothing attacks us between now and the next time we lie together, you can heal me.”
Why does it feel as if that’s unlikely? “You looked like a warrior when I opened the cabin door today. If I’d been a sea dragon, I’d have run.”
“You’re teasing me?” She hides her face in my arm.
“No.” I wait for her to meet my gaze again. “Nothing was going to harm those children on your watch. The oracle may be wrong about a lot of things, but they were not wrong about you, Harper Craig. You are fierce and brave. You risk everything to keep strangers safe and think nothing of your own safety.”
“Oh, I think about it. It’s just usually too late when I do.” Sighing, she closes her eyes and cuddles against me. “I looked at the stars when I first came up the stairs, but they’re not my stars, and I find no comfort in them.”
On my back, I pull her against me. “Sleep, mo chroi . Find comfort in me and know that your stars are there, if only a bit farther away.” Maybe one day these stars will feel like home to her.
A s the sun rises, I sit and let the warmth and magic fill me. I would have loved to remain with Harper in my arms, but the deck stirs with waking elves.
The breeze has hold of the main sail, and we’re moving west, though a great deal farther south than I would have preferred. This journey feels longer with every step forward.
Her hand slides up my back to my shoulder. “You’re worried.”
Blocking my mind, I turn to find her black eye swollen nearly closed. The side of her face is red, black, blue, and puffed to the point where she’s hardly recognizable. I touch the injury.
She winces and pulls back.
“This needs healing, as do your ribs. You’re in no condition to train.” Lifting my fingers, I keep my touch light and send healing magic to her skin and the cells beneath.
Harper lets out a long breath and relaxes into the comfort of healing. “Train? What am I training to do?”
With the sun’s power flowing through me, I direct more to her ribs and open my eyes to find her staring back, looking much more herself. “That’s better. You’ll train to fight, defend, and most importantly, control your magic. Though, I’m concerned the witch queen can detect your magic here. That training may have to wait until we’re safely home.”
She smiles. “Thank you. I feel much better. All those arms and legs flailing around during the battle, I had more bruised skin than not.” Standing, she stretches, and I admire the bare legs below the shirt she found.
I touch the soft fabric, then her calf. “It’s not a bad idea to look through the ship more carefully to see what we can find.”
“How will you train me to use magic that you said you don’t understand?”
Holding her hand, I lead us to the lower deck and down the stairs with a wave to Bert at the ship’s wheel. “We have to discover your abilities together and find ways to use them at will, rather than in states of panic and need only.”
In our small cabin, she toes out of her shoes and pulls the shirt over her head. Reaching for her jeans, which hang over a cupboard door, she turns away from me. Her perfect round ass and hips make my fingers ache to touch her. The side of her breasts and the pointed nipples make my mouth water.
Unable to resist, I wrap my arms around her and pull her tight against my thick cock. “You are so lovely. One day, I will make love to you day and night without worry of monsters or demons.”
Abandoning her clothes, she turns into my embrace and leaps off her feet to wrap her legs around me. She grinds her center forward and digs her fingers into my shoulders to pull us tighter together. “Are you making promises or just wishes?”
I grip her ass and lower us to the bed, still made as no one slept in it. I long to rumple sheets and love this woman until we’re both spent and unable to think of danger or despair. “I can promise you that this is what I wish for.”
Her smile is better than sun magic. “Just sex or are there other things? Not that I’d mind sex with you day and night. Just curious if we’d take breaks for food and air.”
The list of things is so long, I’d be embarrassed to enumerate them all. “You are my air and my sustenance.” It’s true, but there’s so much more. “I’d show you the caves where warm springs soothe all your aches. We’d picnic by the lake and swim. It isn’t the land I was born to, but Tús Nua is very beautiful and untouched by Venora.”
Her smile falters and I regret mentioning the witch. “Why hasn’t she touched it? Is your mother that powerful, and if she is, then how did Venora capture the old city?”
Pushing desire aside, I pull back.
Harper tightens her grip with both arms and legs. “Don’t pull away whenever I ask hard questions.”
I brush her hair, wild from sleep, from her brow. “You want to have this discussion while you’re naked beneath me?”
She giggles and releases her hold. “Maybe not. I do want to know the answers.” Once I stand, she pulls on her jeans and shirt.
While I fold the clothes she cleaned for me, I say, “The oracle’s magic was enough to keep the witch queen from the western continent. When she took you from Clandunna was the first time I’ve heard of her breaching that magic.”
“But the curse reaches Tús Nua. And that fact that she created a portal and came through it to get me is a bad sign.” She straps the dagger to her belt as if she’s been wearing a weapon all her life.
“The curse has affected most of Domhan. Though it would seem the Aracan took longer to be harmed. I wonder about the fairies, but they keep to themselves. Dwarves were only a few years behind us. They have not seen a female born in almost twenty-five suns. I’ll admit, we have been consumed with the plight of elves.” I have many things to discuss with my parents when we return.
She cocks her head. “Shortsighted. Are you certain that whatever we’re doing will save the other beings living here? What about the animals? Have only male deer been born, male rabbits? Is the food supply growing scarce?”
In truth, I have no idea. “This might be a question for the oracle or my mother.”
“Your mother seemed kind and strong. Is she science-minded or more politician?” There’s only curiosity in her tone.
I open my mind to search for blame but find none.
She bats me out of her mind. “You can’t pop in here whenever you don’t believe me or want more information.” She points to the side of her head. “You either want the connection or you don’t, Aaran Riordan. There is no halfway.”
Despite her desire for information, her anger wins, and she moves to storm from the cabin. I reach out and block her path. “I apologize. You’re right.” I open my soul to hers and let her feel all I feel.
She melts against me. “You can block me in battle if that’s easier.” Whether angry or mollified, she’s sensible, my beautiful human.
“My mother is very complicated. She doesn’t always share her knowledge, perhaps because she doesn’t want to burden us with things we can’t control. The prophecy is something we can act on.”
Cheek to my chest, she nods.
“I have not noticed a lack of female animals, and we had a filly born just before I left home to find you.” The idea of the curse going that far haunts me. “It would be a disaster if those short-lived creatures didn’t bear both sexes.” I wish we had a few dozen horses to carry us home once we reach land.
Pulling back, she grins up at me. “I heard that. Horses would be nice, though I’ve only ridden a few times, and that was when I was a teenager.”
“I’ll teach you to ride.” I actually can’t wait to see her astride a horse. She’d be magnificent. “Today, swords and knives. Perhaps a bit of archery. Later we’ll talk about your magic with Jax.”
She rolls her eyes, and I don’t need to know her mind to gain her feelings about sharing time or details with the warrior. “He doesn’t like me.”
“He is cautious about things he doesn’t understand. You are a puzzle to him. Perhaps talking through your magic will change that.” I shrug. “However, that’s not my purpose. He’s very knowledgeable about magic.”
“Then why is he a warrior and not a mage or whatever you call your magicians?” She props her fists on her hips. Adorable.
“His magic is strong but focused on healing, accuracy with a bow and arrow, and physical strength. Still, he’s a wealth of information, as I’m guessing is Cara.” I give her a long look that fills me with more joy than I deserve, and I’m wasting precious time to be alone with her. “My mother and father are both strong with magic. My younger brother, Liam, is a warrior, while I have a bit of both.”
“And your youngest brother?”
“Raith.” I sigh. “It’s unclear where his gifts lie. His magic is strong, but often unfocused, and sometimes it goes wrong. He means well and tries, but his mind is a jumble of many thoughts at once.”
Eyes wide, she stares. “And he’s been sent to collect a human woman?”
I share her fear. “It’s part of the prophecy that all three of us had to go.”
She blows out a long breath but doesn’t share her thoughts aloud. Inside, I hear her relief that it was me and not Raith who came for her.
My agreement has nothing to do with the uncertainty of my brother’s magic. It’s unimaginable that Harper wouldn’t be in my life. “Let’s get you a sword.”
Holding up a finger, she drops to her knees. “I found this when I was looking for something to wear during laundry.” Head halfway under the bed, she mutters a curse before backing out with a wooden box in tow. Its polished wood has a fine layer of dust broken up by several clean places where Harper has handled it. She unhooks the latch and pushes back the cover.
Within lies a sword that gleams in the sunlight coming through our small window. The hilt is wrapped with fine leather, and the blade is perfect, as if it was meant to be a gift but had never been delivered. It’s smaller than my broadsword, so it might have been made for a woman or a child. My first training sword was similar, though not as fine. An amber stone gleams from the base of the hilt.
“This is very fine.” I pick it up and feel the perfect balance of the workmanship. Next to the blade is a fine leather scabbard embossed with an intricate pattern I’ve never seen before.
“Too good for me to learn on. We can put it back.” She waits for me to return the weapon to the case.
“I think it’s perfect for you to use. It’s a lighter sword than anything else we have, but well made.” I test the blade before handing it to her. “Be careful, it’s quite sharp.”
She wraps her hand around the hilt and keeps the blade pointing toward the ground.
Leaving the fine leather sheath in the box, we head up to the deck.
Many stop to watch us. They’ve not seen Harper with a sword before.
Frowning, Jax crosses his arms and leans against the railing. It’s hard to say exactly what the warrior is thinking. Like my brother, Liam, he keeps his emotions and feelings under the mask of discontent.
Pulling my sword, I stand ready with the point directed toward her.
After a moment of thought, she imitates me. “Now what?”
“Have you had any defensive training?” I tap my blade against hers.
Keeping her grip, she backs up a step. “I took boxing and some martial arts classes at the gym, but never anything with weapons. Also, those classes never had the intention of harming anyone.”
“What were they for then?” Jax pushes from the side and steps closer.
She looks at him. “Exercise.”
I slap her sword harder, and it clatters to the deck. “Never take your eyes off your opponent.”
Shaking her hand, as there’s some sting in the vibration, her face gets red, and she picks up the weapon and holds it up.
Jax shakes his head. “You’re holding the hilt too tight. Keep a firm grip, but not a death hold. Never be rigid. Everything must flow from you, not be forced. These classes you took were hand-to-hand, I’m assuming. Think of the sword as an extension of your arm.”
The white of her knuckles eases and she cocks her head as if feeling the difference. When I step to the right, she counters to the left naturally.
It’s a good sign that she has some innate tendencies and the willingness to listen to instructions from someone she’s unsure of. Jax has not ingratiated himself. It’s not in his nature, but she recognizes his value as a soldier.
I attack and she blocks. Again and again, I go through the motions, slowly increasing the speed and strength of my attack. Left, then right until I jolt forward, unbalancing her.
She stumbles backward, her ass hitting the deck.
Jax smiles for the first time. “Not bad.” He helps her up. “Bend your knees more to stay centered. Don’t look at Aaran’s sword. Focus on his eyes, they will tell you what his next move will be.”
That adorable crease forms between her eyes as she rubs her sore bottom. “How will his eyes tell me anything about the sharp object coming at me?”
“Try it and see.” Jax steps back.
Those gorgeous green eyes stare into mine.
I slash.
Harper blocks.
Recognition dawns on her face.
Striking from the left, then the right, I move faster and try to put her off-balance again.
Feet light and steady, she blocks each move but continues to be backed into a corner.
“Good. Now attack, Harper,” Jax commands.
Panic registers in her gaze.
I knock her sword from her hand and leave the point of my blade an inch from her throat. “The enemy will not stop, mo chroi . You cannot hesitate.”
With a nod, Jax stares at her. “Still, not bad. You have some natural ability. From what I know of your world, there is little sword fighting. You have other weapons, guns.” He says the last word tentatively as if he’d struggled to pull it out of his memory.
Harper picks up her sword. “That’s true, but I’m not a soldier. My first fight was on the boat to that first gate, and I only attacked out of desperation to save Aaran. There are no guns here?”
“Magic was given to us by the old gods. They taught our ancestors how to use it. They showed us the technology of your world and gave us the choice between that and magic. The kings and queens of Domhan chose magic.” Jax’s eyes are bright with challenge. “Your technology will not work in this world.”
“But your magic works on Earth. That hardly seems right.” Harper rolls her shoulders and bends and straightens her arm several times.
“Does it?” Jax asks, looking at me.
I nod. “Nainsi and I both used our magic in Harper’s world. And their sun renewed my magic when I overextended myself.”
“Maybe I should have brought my phone and some other technology and tested them on this side.” She rocks her head from side to side, stretching her neck.
As if the conversation about magic versus technology were at an end, Jax says, “I will bespell your weapons during training. You won’t be able to do more than bruise Aaran if you can get a blade to him.”
Once he has her agreement, he casts the spell.
I should have thought of that from the beginning, but I was sure I wouldn’t harm Harper, and perhaps arrogant to believe her incapable of getting through my defenses. After another hour of swordplay, I’m proved correct, though she improves throughout training.
Sitting on a crate, she rubs her arm and shoulder, wincing with every move.
“I think archery practice will have to wait for another day.” I sit behind her and take over the massage. “I doubt you could pull back on the string right now.”
Moaning and leaning into my touch, she closes her eyes. “Give me an hour, and I’d like to try it.”
Jax sits opposite her and narrows his gaze. “You were far better than I expected.”
“Um, thank you?”
It’s hard not to laugh at the way her voice lifts in question over his halfhearted compliment. Despite my attempt, a short chortle escapes.