He took me in his arms and held me tight, breathing against my neck. I could feel his heart beating frantically, resonating with what was going on inside my own chest.
I was beginning to consider the idea of a different life from what I’d been accustomed to. Even a different home. In another world. Draven had changed me in ways I’d never thought possible, and I was starting to think that what I felt for him was too deep to relinquish when this war was done.
“What are we doing here, Draven? What am I doing here, with you?”
As giddy as I’d been at the concept of nobody seeing us so close to one another, I disliked being unable to see the look in his eyes. All I had to go on was his labored breathing, the thudding in his chest, and whatever I sensed in him with my sentry abilities. It all spoke of something similar, if not identical, to what I was feeling.
And it all pointed to a four-letter word I was afraid to pronounce. I’d only read about it in books and seen it in my parents. I’d never considered feeling it myself. I’d had other ambitions to focus on—a career in journalism being my priority. Still, Draven had managed to stomp into my life and change my perception entirely, to the point where all my previous plans seemed superficial.
What was the plan after we defeated Azazel? We’d go back to The Shade, and I’d go on to study journalism? It all seemed so far away. I’d found more meaning in freeing the people of Eritopia, in saving my friends and destroying the evil that had corrupted a beautiful world. My whole ethos of being was gradually maturing as life revealed itself as much more complex than I’d initially believed.
“I don’t know yet, but I think we’re close to figuring this out,” Draven replied gently.
He made me smile, and I pulled his head closer so I could feel his lips on mine again.
“Either way, I’m so addicted to you that you’ll most likely be the end of me,” Draven chuckled lightly, while his hand gripped the back of my neck and pulled me upward for another delicious kiss.
This time, he kept it short and sweet, holding me close and filling me with ribbons of his golden energy.
“Do you feel this, Serena?” he asked, his lips against mine.
My heart vibrated in my chest. I gradually regained my senses and walked away from the edge where he’d taken me. I was buzzing with warmth, but I could feel something cold and sharp poking the back of my mind. I closed my eyes and tried to identify that emotion. I had sensed it before, just seconds before we’d kissed.
I breathed him in, a heady scent of musk and deep birch forests invading my nostrils and filling my lungs. It was fear that I was feeling.
“I feel a lot of things coming from you right now, Draven.”
“I’m aware,” he replied. “But I’ve yet to identify them all myself, even though they’re all aimed at you. What is it you recognize, from what you can feel?”
I took a deep breath, as he leaned his forehead into mine. His fingers caressed my face and ran through my hair.
“A bit of fear.”
“Indeed, Serena. It’s fear I’m feeling. The fear of losing you. The fear of never seeing you again…the fear of being unable to save you.”
“Don’t—”
“You can’t tell me to not feel this, Serena. I’ve tried. Believe me. It only gets worse, unless I embrace it. Which is why I’m here now, standing before you, nearly begging you to be careful and not get hurt or killed once we reach the dungeons. Do you hear me?”
I held him, nestling my head against his chest, enjoying his strong arms around me.
“I promise, I’ll do my best to not get hurt or killed,” I mumbled against his shirt.
He groaned, but before he could respond, Hansa’s voice shattered our bubble.
“Are you two okay?” She was standing merely five feet away.
Draven cleared his throat, and we stepped apart. His hand found mine and clasped it firmly.
“Yeah, I’m good,” I said, a little too loud and high-pitched.
“Good,” she replied. “Let’s move. We’re losing moonlight.”
Jovi
We traveled south on foot for several miles before we reached a nomad marketplace. Bijarki told me that merchants often settled in the riverbank areas in those parts, as many travelers crossed the region over the year.
“We’ll find some good horses there,” Anjani said, clutching her crossbow.
Bijarki led the group, while Anjani walked behind me. The jungle was green and lush in these parts, slightly more open, and had fewer marshes in between. We’d shot at some hungry shape-shifters along the way, but the road ahead seemed clear.
“The further south you go, the fewer shape-shifters you’ll find,” Bijarki explained. “The south is less feral, with more settlements. The wildlings fear the southern nations.”
“Why’s that?” I asked.
“It’s not just the incubi and succubi who carry these shifter-killing poisons. The Lamias are just as ruthless, and so are the imps, the Bajangs, and the Maras. They have very little patience for such perils in their woods, so they have decimated the shape-shifter population over the centuries, forcing them further north.”
“You’ve named some creatures there that I know nothing about,” I replied, suddenly chastising myself for not reading much during the couple days’ downtime I’d had back at the mansion. There must have been books there about these Eritopian species too.
“Don’t worry, Jovi. You’ll get to see them live once we reach the Sarang Marketplace,” Anjani said from behind.
I looked over my shoulder to find her grinning, as if she knew the ending to a good joke that she hadn’t shared with me. It made me feel uneasy wondering what creatures I’d run into at that marketplace.
“Eritopia is home to many different creatures,” Bijarki said. “The incubi and succubi are the predominant species, but there are also imps, Bajangs, Maras, and other subspecies in the far east. Then there are… Well, were the Druids, and the Lamias deriving from that species. The Dearghs are standalone, as are the Sluaghs. There were once storm hounds and gorgons, too, but Azazel killed them off.”
“Some of these names sound familiar,” I said. “But mostly the stuff of legends. Gods, monsters, heaven, hell, angels, demons.”
“From what I understand, our universes are connected, so I wouldn’t be surprised if a handful of our creatures found ways to infiltrate your world. You should tell us more about your home, Jovi, when this is all over,” Bijarki replied.
“Provided we all live to hear the tales,” Anjani muttered under her breath and shot an arrow through the trees.
I had a crush on her crossbow, custom built for long range shots. Mine and Bijarki’s had an effective range of 200 feet, while Anjani’s was able to kill from 500 feet. She’d spotted another shape-shifter deep in the woods to our right.
We stilled and listened. I let my inner-wolf sniff the air, and I caught the scent of blood, but the creature was still moving.
“I really need to practice these long shots more,” Anjani grumbled and loaded another arrow.
I saw the creature running toward us with a limp, jumping over gnarly tree roots as it reached the road. It shifted right before my eyes into a creepy version of me, sending instant shivers down my back.
We all aimed our crossbows at it and shot at the same time. The arrows pierced through the beast’s head, throat, and chest. It fell backward, writhing in agony for a minute before it died.
“I must say, Anjani, you seemed to enjoy killing that shifter a little too much,” Bijarki quipped.
I knew what he meant. The beast looked like me. I looked at her, and she wore a sheepish smile that both irritated and enchanted me. The dynamic between us was constantly filled with such contradictions. I was learning to take it all in stride.
“It wasn’t as handsome as me,” I shot back. “She obviously disliked the copy’s cheap quality.”
Bijarki chuckled as we continued walking down the road. The sun set in shades of violet and
orange.
Soon enough, the Sarang Marketplace emerged ahead, as the woods thinned out. It was large, covering at least half a square mile, with small paths between dozens of stalls and wooden constructions resembling boutique stores.
It was loud and colorful. An abundance of red paper lanterns hung above on a network of strings tied to outer pillars. It was a sight to behold, given that I’d grown accustomed to the lonely mansion beneath a protective shield. There must have been a thousand creatures, all selling and buying everything and anything, from trinkets and fabrics to weapons, tools, animals, and foods.
“Stay close, Jovi,” Bijarki said. “You’re an outsider to these folks, and they don’t always take kindly to strangers.”
I nodded and walked ahead, reaching his side and tucking the crossbow in the leather holster mounted on my back. We entered the marketplace, and Anjani headed toward the stables on the far eastern end.
“I’ll start looking for horses. You boys get some food and supplies for the rest of the journey,” she said, disappearing into the crowd.
I looked around and was surprised by the diversity. Short creatures with thick, wrinkled skin wobbled from one stall to another with large pointed ears and crooked noses. I assumed that those were the imps Bijarki had told me about. They talked quickly and cursed a lot, forcing people into buying things rather than actually selling their merchandise.
There were plenty of incubi moving around, many of them putting distance between us and themselves at the sight of Bijarki’s military attire.
“They think I’m from an incubus army, and most of them are defectors and rogues,” the incubus said. “I make them wary, which is good. We don’t want them asking any questions anyway.”
We moved through the stalls, and I watched quietly as Bijarki purchased a variety of nuts and breads for the rest of our trip to the River Pyros. He haggled with the imp in charge until we got an extra bag of nuts on account of the incubus’s uniform.
“Those are Bajangs.” Bijarki pointed at a group of three males and one female.
They were similar to the incubi and succubi, beautiful by default with pale skin that shimmered golden in the fading sunlight. They didn’t have horns, and their eyes were a vibrant yellow with wide black pupils, reminding me of a cat. The males’ hair was rich and black, while the female wore hers in ginger and white braids.
“I can see some small differences between your kind and theirs,” I mumbled, careful not to be heard as they walked past us.
They wore leather garments and sharp blades hung on their belts. They gave me and Bijarki a sideways glance that was anything but friendly. The female hissed at me, and I stilled as I watched her shift into a large, orange feline with white stripes. She darted through the crowd as one of the males cursed under his breath and picked her clothes and sword up off the ground where she’d left them.
The same male frowned at me and ran after her, followed by his two companions.
“I guess we made her nervous,” Bijarki replied, amused.
“Okay, scratch what I said earlier. There are obviously some major differences between your kind and theirs,” I added. “They turn into cats? Seriously?”
He shrugged. “They’ve been like that since before we’ve had a recorded history. They’re usually solitary creatures, and they live in our cities, sleeping wherever they can and eating whatever they catch. Sometimes, they befriend incubi clans and live with them. They can be very useful in feline form.”
I could only imagine what useful meant to Bijarki. All I could think of was that the rodent problem was taken care of and fur balls would permeate the house. The female’s antipathy suddenly made sense, though. She had most likely sensed my wolf blood. Cats and dogs and all that.
We found a jewelry stall further down the aisle. I recognized the old woman as a fae. Her dress was large with glimmering purple ruffles. She sat back in her rocking chair and played with a violet flame between her fingers. The moment she heard us she sprang to her feet, putting the flame away, and smiled.
“Welcome, fine travelers,” she greeted us with arms open. She stood behind a large table loaded with precious gems and metals. There were earrings, bangles, necklaces, collars, bracelets, pearls, rings, and pendants. “What a pleasure to have you here!”
Bijarki nodded politely while scanning the table.
“You’re a fae, aren’t you?” I couldn’t help asking.
“Indeed, I am, young man. And you’re not from around here, are you?” She grinned, revealing two rows of perfect white teeth.
She’d aged very well, with just a few fine lines and a cascade of white hair pouring down her back. From what I knew about the fae, she was most likely several thousand years old. I shook my head in response.
“Neither are you, for that matter,” I replied.
“No, I am not, young man. I take it you know my kind?”
“I do. I was a guest of Sherus,” I said and immediately watched her smile drop. “You know him?”
“Oh, I do indeed. You might not believe it, but he was once my protégé.” The old fae sighed. She ran her fingers over the precious gems on the table, absentmindedly moving them around.
“What happened, if you don’t mind me asking? How did you end up here?” Bijarki interjected, suddenly interested in our conversation.
“I was here on a diplomatic mission, many centuries ago. I was betrayed by someone close to me and found guilty of a crime I did not commit. They left me behind as punishment. Sherus, unfortunately, believed others instead of me. I’ve been here ever since, before Azazel even began his bloody conquest,” the fae replied.
I wondered what the crime was, and what would have made Sherus do that. There was sadness in her voice, but she quickly reverted to her bright smile.
“Anyhow, that is in the past, and it doesn’t matter anymore,” she continued. “What matters is that you are here, and I have so many wonderful jewels for you to buy. There must be a special lady in your life.”
Bijarki picked out a small turquoise pendant, sculpted in the form of a flame and hung on a delicate silver chain. A faint smile passed over his face as he lifted it between his fingers.
“How much for this one?” he asked.
She looked at the pendant and squinted.
“Just two pieces of gold, soldier. The turquoise flame protects and nourishes the spirit,” she replied. “Well chosen!”
“Thank you,” Bijarki said and handed her two gold coins from his coat pocket. Draven had given us gold from his father’s inheritance for occasions such as this. Almus had gathered a healthy fortune during his service to Eritopia, leaving plenty of gold for his son.
She stashed the money in a small leather pouch on her belt, then picked up a pendant to show me. It was a silver wolf’s head, its jaws wide open and fangs holding on to a tear-shaped diamond. She held it up for me to see up close.
“This is a special trinket. It should only be given to the one you love unconditionally.”
There was a small flame burning white inside the diamond, the result of some kind of spell, for sure. I took it in my hand and found myself entranced by how it burned on the inside.
“How will I know if I’m giving it to the right person?” I asked.
“Worry not. The diamond will know.”
It was a beautifully crafted piece, and I felt compelled to get it. I instinctively thought of Anjani as I reached for the few gold pieces I had in my pocket, courtesy of the incubus. The old fae shook her head as she looked at me.
“This pendant will not cost you gold, young man.”
“But I must pay you for it.”
“One day, I will seek you out and ask for your help,” she smiled. “Repay me with a favor then.”
“How will you know where to find me? I’m not from this world.”
I felt a sting on the back of my head, something akin to a mosquito bite. I touched the skin and noticed a tiny speckle of blood on my fingertips.
“Worry
not. I have my way of finding people when I need them,” the fae replied and bowed before me.
I couldn’t help but wonder whether the sting had anything to do with what she’d just said, or if it was from some bug that had coincidentally landed on me. My attention was drawn back to the wolf pendant. She gave me a velvet pouch for it, and I stuffed it in my pocket, feeling slightly creeped out.
“Uh, okay.” I wondered what I might have just gotten myself into but didn’t want to be rude and reject the pendant. “Thanks, I guess.”
“We should head for the stalls,” Bijarki said to me. “It will be night soon, and we need to move.”
I waved goodbye to the old fae and followed the incubus through the crowd. I had a feeling she was watching me as I walked away, but when I looked over my shoulder she was gone, her stall unattended. I checked the sting on the back of my neck once more, and the blood had stopped flowing. It must have just been an insect bite.
We reached the stalls, where Anjani waited next to three beautiful horses, tall white steeds with short red manes.
“These three are perfect for what we need,” she explained and patted one of them on the neck.
It nuzzled her face in response, and she smiled. As I watched her interact with the animal, I felt myself soften inside. My fingers felt the jewel through the velvet. The old fae’s words still rang in my head, and I was starting to see Anjani in a different light. Was she the one truly worthy of the wolf’s head pendant?
“I trust your judgment,” Bijarki said, breaking me out of my thoughts.
The salesman came out. He was a crooked old imp with tufts of white hair and long, curved horns poking out from behind his large pointed ears. He measured us from head to toe with a frown.
“What do you want?” he asked, as if we’d disturbed him.
“These three horses.” Bijarki took the lead, pulling his money pouch out. “How much for them?”