Chapter Three
Iwas getting whiplash from how fast this man could shift from gentle giant to grouchy troll. Last night, when I’d rolled over to find myself tucked under the protection of his wing, my heart had swelled with affection.
Just like when I’d been sick, he showed me a tender side of himself, one that was easy to fall in love with. I wasn’t used to being taken care of, because I was the one who protected everyone else.
He’d laid on the ground beside my sleeping bag, with dirt and sticks poking his body as he slept. And since he’d removed his shirt to free his wings, his back had been exposed to the rain and the frigid night air. I gently rested my hand against his chest. His skin was several shades darker than mine, and I paused to admire the beautiful contrast. Beneath my palm, he felt cold, and I’d longed to show him the same consideration toward his comfort as he’d shown toward me.
Careful not to awaken him, I pulled off my shirt and spread my wings. Swallowing hard, I scooted closer to him and wrapped my wing as best I could over his chest and shoulder.
I called for the fiery magic in my chest, using it to raise my temperature until I was the human equivalent of a hot water bottle. In his sleep, August had instinctively hooked his arm over my waist and drew me closer.
At first, my muscles had been stiff with tension, but then I’d given in to the desire to be held for just one night in his arms. Tomorrow he would leave me, but while he slept that night, I could pretend he was mine.
I’d been awakened by his fingers caressing my wing, and I’d been shocked to find it was more intimate than any of the sexual things I’d imagined. When I’d gathered enough courage to stroke his wing, and saw the way his eyes glowed in response to my touch, I’d thought maybe he’d changed his mind.
Maybe he was going to give us a chance.
Then he’d abruptly stood and strode into the woods without so much as a backward glance.
August had claimed he didn’t want the bond because he wasn’t good enough, but I couldn’t help but wonder if it was something about me he didn’t like. If I’d been someone different, then would he have loved me?
With a heavy heart, I packed my things and started toward the horses, only to stop when I noticed how soaked his sleeping bag was. Squatting beside it, I ran my hands over the fabric. I sent heat into it, and watched with satisfaction as steam rose, until every last drop of water had evaporated.
When I finished, I headed to my horse and found he’d already been saddled. I looked around for August but couldn’t spot him. Chewing my lip, I debated waiting for him to show, but decided I’d go ahead and hit the trail. He liked to move faster than me, so it wouldn’t hurt to get ahead of him.
Gently tapping my heels and clicking my tongue, I guided the gorgeous buckskin back onto the trail that wound ever higher toward the lodge.
We reachedthe lodge faster than expected. Probably because my anxiety was pushing me to hurry, and I’d been too distracted to notice the view as we traveled.
Visions weren’t something I’d experienced in Cucalas, and I wasn’t sure why I would have one now. I’d spent hours trying to puzzle it out, and my best guess was my link to Azurea was allowing me to catch glimpses of what she was seeing.
While I could always sense her presence, and know when she was near, this felt different. It was as though an invisible thread was pulling me to the lodge. But maybe that had to do with Earth’s effect on the link that had been created between us when she’d been marked by my magic during our battle so long ago.
Here I was, rushing toward who knew what, and I hadn’t even figured out how I was going to deal with her once I found her. It had taken a lot out of me when I’d beat her the last time, and I wondered how I could do it now while still depleted. I was the queen of the phoenixes, yet Amaryllis was probably stronger than me at that moment.
Shoving aside my concerns, I focused on the feeling in my chest that urged me to hurry.
The lodge seemed deserted when we plodded from the woods into the cleared land surrounding it. Dismounting, I led my horse into the barn beside the lodge. To my relief, a stable hand was inside, busy mucking out a stall.
“If you want to tie up out front, I’ll take care of him and you can head into the lodge and get settled in.” He gave me a wide, welcoming grin. “Gino told me a pair of riders were making the trek up on horseback from their barn to the lodge, so I’ve been waiting on y’all. I bet you two are ready to eat and sleep in a real bed.”
I returned his smile. “Thank you, but I’d like to help. Hosea was such a gentleman the entire ride, so I want to make him comfortable before I go inside.”
“Alrighty. Well, the tack can be hung in the room there”—the man motioned to a small room off to the left—“and the brushes can be found in the baskets there.”
He pointed to large wire baskets nailed to the wall that held various grooming tools. “I’ll get the stalls ready while you two tend to that.”
With a tip of his hat, he strode down the long aisle toward the back of the barn. August appeared at my side, and despite my protests, he removed my saddle. When he finished with mine, he began removing the tack from his handsome horse.
By the time we finished brushing them, the man had returned. Clipping two lead ropes to their halters, he led the two beautiful horses away.
The exhaustion from the trip hit me all at once, and I headed for the lodge, ready to find a bed to crash in. Pushing open the beautiful hand-carved door, I found the inside of the lodge was just as desolate as the grounds outside.
“Well, howdy, folks.”
My eyes darted in the direction of the booming voice. A man with a beard that reached mid-chest and bushy white eyebrows was leaning back in an office chair with his boots kicked up on the reception desk.
He pulled out a pocket watch and glanced down at it. “I figured you’d be here last night. Did you run into trouble on the trail?”
His tone was that of a worried father rather than one of annoyance.
My cheeks warmed. “No, I just found the trail so beautiful and I couldn’t keep myself from stopping to admire the flora and fauna.”
The man’s eyes sparkled. “I’d say that’s a pretty good way to enjoy a trip. You know what they say—you gotta take time to stop and smell the roses.”
I’d never heard that, but I liked it. “Do you still have room for us?”
The man’s eyes darted around the silent, empty lounge area and he raised a single caterpillar-like eyebrow. “With the current crowd, I’ll have to check to see if we have some vacancy.”
I nodded while trying to figure out if he was being sarcastic or if he was being serious.
“I’m just teasing, little lady.” He chuckled and handed me two keys. “Here are the keys to the two rooms. They are adjoining rooms, but you can keep the door locked between them if you prefer.”
I stared at the keys, my forehead creasing. “But I haven’t paid for the rooms yet.”
“Your travel agent took care of that for you yesterday. It was X something.” He shuffled a few papers. “Ah! Here it is: Xerxes Drakon. He said you’d be tired after the trip, so he wanted to make sure the paperwork was taken care of so you could rest after arriving.”
Surprised, but not exactly shocked, I murmured my thanks and headed down the hall to find my room.
“The Xerxes Drakon is your travel agent? He makes the world’s criminal underbelly tremble in fear, but calls to make reservations for you?” August’s deep rumbling laughter did weird things to my stomach. “For those words to come from his mouth, you either outrank him in power, or Ryls found out he knew you were leaving and didn’t stop you, so she demanded he make sure you were okay. I’m guessing it’s the latter.”
“Hm,” I answered noncommittally.
Both were likely true, but I didn’t correct August. He didn’t need to know anything more about me. When my work finished here, I wasn’t even sure which side of the veil I would be stuck on.
As much as I liked earth, Cucalas needed me, and once I was there, he would never see me again. So why waste any more of my energy on the stubborn, silent man who’d be gone in a few hours?
Finding the first room, I handed August the second keycard and quickly let myself into the room. I closed and locked the door behind me, not giving him a chance to follow me inside.
With the flick of a switch, the lamps in the corners of the room flickered to life, and I experienced a sense of déjà vu.
This was the exact room from my vision, down to the brochure on the small table by the window and the chessboard set up beside it.
Sagging down on the bed, I dropped my backpack to the floor and stared out the window. I didn’t sense Azurea’s presence here. So now what?
Worse, the urgency in my chest had grown stronger, driving me to follow it… but to where?
I’d come to this lodge in the middle of nowhere, confident I’d find the answers here. It hadn’t occurred to me that I should’ve come up with a backup plan.
Flopping back on the bed, I wiped at the stray tear sliding down my cheek. I hated this. My life had been one of order, one where I knew exactly what was expected of me.
Now I was stumbling around in a world I didn’t fully understand, and without a clear plan. Find enough power to stabilize the veil, trap Azurea back in Cucalas, and then permanently repair the veil between our worlds.
Easy, right?
Not.
And the only person who might’ve been able to help me on this mission had taken one look at me and decided we’d never work out.
It was fine. I was strong and I could figure something else out. This wouldn’t be the first time I’d beaten Azurea, but I was sure it would be the last. I’d never allow her to risk anyone else’s safety again.
My eyes drifted closed, and curling into a ball on the bed, I fell into a fitful sleep.
Several hours later, I was awakened by a large hand gently shaking my arm. If it hadn’t been for the tingling electricity his touch sent across my skin, I might have been scared. But even with my eyes closed and mind foggy with sleep, I knew August’s touch.
“I’ve brought food. You need to eat dinner.”
“How did you get into my room?” Groaning, I pressed my fingers to my eyes and sat up.
He refused to meet my eyes. “The door lock was weak between our rooms.”
“So you broke into my room? To feed me? Seriously, you give off more mixed signals than a broken orb.”
“A what?” August’s eyebrows drew together.
Realizing I’d said too much, I took the spoon and stuffed my mouth full of the stew he’d set in front of me. “This is delicious! What is it?” I shoved another spoonful of the buttery chicken and dough soup into my mouth.
“It’s called chicken and dumplings. You’ve never had it before?” He eyed me with open curiosity.
I shook my head.
“I’m starting to think you lived a sheltered life.” He prodded for information, but I wasn’t falling for it.
“Something like that.” It was sweet he’d brought me dinner, but I honestly wished he’d leave me alone, because the more time we spent together, the worse it hurt that he wasn’t willing to give us a chance.
He was a distraction I couldn’t afford.
“I’ll leave you to eat.” August stood and walked from the room, closing the door between our rooms behind him.
Quieting my feelings of hurt, I ate the soup in silence, staring out the window. Night had descended, and the expanse of dark treetops seemed to extend for as far as the eye could see.
The sense I needed to hurry had continued to grow while I’d slept, until it beat like a loud, pounding drum in my head.
I needed to do something, but I was growing frustrated by not knowing what.
Setting my bowl on the table with a thunk, the chessboard rattled and a single piece toppled over. Moonlight glinted off the black knight.
Reaching out, I turned the carved horse between my fingers. What was the significance of this piece? It had been the last thing I’d seen in my vision and I’d thought maybe it was a sign to ride horseback up to the lodge, but I hadn’t found any clues along the path.
Growling in annoyance, I curled up on my side on the bed, still holding the chess piece clenched in my fist.
Almost immediately, I was sucked into sleep.