Chapter 3 Azahara
Azahara
She watched as Kaed hurried down from the second floor and made his way to Moondancer, grabbing her reins and guiding her toward the front of the barn. She swiftly followed, keeping pace with him.
“They are emerging from the tree line,” he said, adjusting the saddle. He extended his hand to her.
As she took it, he did something unexpected. With a gentle tug, he brought her closer, their bodies drawing near, igniting a fire in her cheeks. He leaned toward her, and she saw him close his eyes as he took her in.
“Oh,” he responded, his voice filled with surprise and something else she couldn’t pinpoint.
He leaned away from her, his eyes inscrutable, leaving her longing for more.
She tightened her lips, fixing her gaze on him.
“I understand now what you meant about your scent.” Swiftly, he stepped back and mounted Moondancer.
Extending his hand, he clasped her elbow gently and gave her a nod, a silent invitation to join him.
His boldness still took her aback, but the imminent danger and her clouded mind propelled her. Firmly gripping his forearm, she relied on his strength and the stability of the stirrup to hoist herself aboard.
This time, he positioned her in front of him, helping her move her leg across his lap to avoid accidentally kicking him. It was a necessary adjustment considering the awkwardness of her attempts to get behind him while he guided her to be in front.
Once she was situated, he moved his arms around hers and took the reins. “They will be chasing us; it will be safer for you to be in front.” Azahara adjusted, a flutter of excitement in her chest as if a swarm of butterflies had taken flight.
“Okay...” She hesitated, afraid that saying anything more would betray the nervousness coursing through her.
With a click of Kaed’s heel against Moondancer’s side, the horse surged forward, causing her back to briefly press against him. A chuckle escaped him, prompting her to clear her throat and lean slightly forward.
They took a sharp turn, veering south towards a denser cluster of trees.
She had traversed this forest numerous times before, yet it never made navigation any easier.
Their goal was to keep the mountains on their left while staying close to the forest on their right.
They had to be cautious not to approach the mountain’s edge, as the inhabitants within were notoriously unwelcoming towards outsiders.
The forest stretched for hundreds of miles, and escaping its confines would require at least a few days’ journey. Recognizing this, she would have to acclimate herself to the situation. Riding a horse for more than an hour or two was uncharted territory for her, at least, in this lifetime.
That wasn’t to say she didn’t know how to ride, which on the contrary, she did. She just preferred the stability of solid ground beneath her feet.
There was silence for the first leg of their run, the only sounds were the trees wrestling as they passed at top speeds.
It was Kaed who broke the silence as their speed began to transition to a slow run instead of a race. “Moondancer will go in and out of sprints to put distance between the Gorruk and us, while keeping her stamina up for as long as she can.”
She nodded, her gaze drifting downward as she observed him skillfully securing the reins with one hand and gently wrapping his other arm around her waist. “Lean back in case she needs to start sprinting. Don’t want you falling off,” he advised.
She turned her head as much as she could to look at him, but his eyes remained fixed ahead, his expression devoid of anything except concentration.
Officer, soldier, ranger—through and through. She thought, leaning back against his chest. Her heart, however, was a traitor to her calm demeanor.
Kaed maintained an upright posture, exuding strength and stability. It provided her with a sense of security, knowing that they would remain steady even during sharp turns or, Mother forbid, a sudden ambush.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
A soft rumble in his chest accompanied his chuckle. “Stop thanking me, Mi—” He cleared his throat. “Azahara.” That made her let out a laugh.
“Call me, Miss, you’ll be walking the rest of the way.” Her voice was playful.
“I wouldn’t want that,” Kaed responded, and she couldn’t help but feel curious about the underlying meaning of his words. It seemed there was more to it than just his reluctance to walk.
Both of them remained attentive throughout the ride, but as the hours passed, they began to relax. Moondancer proved to be a remarkable companion, never wavering in her stride.
Azahara couldn’t help but admire the beauty of the Kasca forest. Despite its usually dim atmosphere caused by the dense trees that thrived in cold and warm climates, there was still a certain light within it.
Luminescent mushrooms adorned the trails, casting a radiant array of colors and unique white kresca bushes which could only be found in this particular part of the realm.
They rode for what felt like days, not hours.
Her legs ached as the lining of her thighs went in and out of feeling.
She wouldn’t complain, knowing it was necessary, and Kaed was likely just as uncomfortable.
He kept shifting his hips to readjust. The one constant thing was his arm around her waist. It never let her go, no matter their position.
She enjoyed having his arm around her, but it had begun to get hot. She didn’t say anything because she really didn’t want him to pull it away.
As the light seeping through the trees slowly disappeared and night came, it was impossible to see anything beyond the mushrooms and glowing eyes of the nocturnal critters of the forest.
“We will need to stop,” he said, moving his arm from around her and grabbing the reins with both hands to indicate to Moondancer his request.
A wave of relief washed over her. Her hips throbbed with discomfort, and every inch of her upper body cried out for respite. Numbness tingled through her legs, but she was sure that once she got them in motion, she would be fine.
They gradually came to a halt, their surroundings illuminated by the glow of the mushrooms. The light was much brighter than she initially anticipated, suggesting that her eyes were adjusting to the darkness enveloping the area.
There were a few beds of moss and an area for a fire. “Gorruk have to sleep too,” he commented, “While I don’t think we should stay longer than a few hours, we can get some sleep.”
Kaed dismounted first, signaling for Azahara to wait before joining him. He led Moondancer to a small open area they had spotted earlier. “I have a blanket. Let me set it up before you come down,” he said, gesturing for her to remain seated.
While it was wintertime, no wind broke through the trees, and there was no sight of rain or snow.
The air was chilly, but it was not unbearable.
Giving him a nod, she watched as he took several items from the pack at the horse’s hips.
One of them was a blanket, which he spread out across the bed of moss.
It was as if he had done this before, which, if she had to guess, given his profession, he had. Without missing a beat, he grabbed the wood and started a fire. Once it was ablaze, he headed back over to her.
Feeling that was her cue to get down, she threw her leg over and began dismounting.
“Be careful—” he said, his pace escalating.
She hit the ground, but not with her feet. Thankfully, she realized what was happening before her face planted into the rocks below. She quickly extended her elbows to catch herself while her hands tightly gripped the grass.
“Shit…” She sucked a shark breath through clenched teeth.
“Your legs might have fallen asleep,” he said, rushing to her side. When she looked at him, there was a hint of fear in his expression. “Azahara, are you okay?” What was he seeing? She was fine, just a small fall.
“Yeah… why… do you ask…” She was completely out of breath.
His hand came up to her forehead. “Shit,” he cursed, his hand gently pressing to her cheek and neck. “You have a fever. Why didn’t you tell me?”
She hadn’t felt anything before this moment.
Suddenly, she found herself seeing two of him, and her heart began to slow its pace. Panic surged through her. “Oh no...” Her arms gave out, but fortunately, Kaed caught her before she could collapse onto the ground. Wide-eyed, her jaw clenched tightly, and her entire body went numb.
“Azahara?” He called her name, but his voice seemed distant, like an unrecognizable memory, as darkness shrouded her vision.
She put her head down on the cold floor and closed her eyes. Suppose it’s good she didn’t pass out on the horse. That would have been worse. “Sorry…” Her voice was so low it was nearly inaudible. “Sorry, sorry, no, no, fight it—”
“Azahara!” She vaguely recalled hearing Kaed’s desperate cry.
Her teeth clenched, and her eyes shut tightly.
Fucking fight it, Azahara. Fight it. With him hovering over her, she struggled to roll to her side, which he caught and graciously assisted.
Her vision was hazy as she searched for his face.
The features appeared blurred, but she could still make him out.
His cool hand moved to her, and when it touched her, she let out a groan of relief. Just as she leaned into it, it disappeared as he called out that it was an infection.
No, it’s okay. She felt her jaw tightening as she tried to speak.
“Drink.” His hand behind her neck was like ice, lifting her to help the water go down. Swallowing was impossible, and she leaned her head so she would not choke. It was as if her throat was closed completely.
She wanted to scream in frustration, to release all the pent-up anger building inside her. But she couldn’t. Even the thought of it, the anger simmering within her, caused her more pain.