Beloved (7 page)

Thea curtsied. “Yes, my lady. I will keep your secret.”

But looking into her eyes, Kira saw beyond her innocence. Whether by force or of her own accord, Thea would betray that promise.

Kira stood and, without giving the innkeeper and his daughter another glance, walked past Nigel, out the door and into the alley behind the shack. They had to get out of this village, and fast.

Finding Althros was easy; he stood near the boulders where they’d left him grazing on a clump of grass. Mahli, however, was gone. While Nigel saddled Althros, who actually allowed him to do so, Kira searched the area. She called and called, but the rebellious cub didn’t come.

“Now what?” she asked Nigel as she walked up to where he was busy strapping their supplies to Althros’ saddle.

Nigel finished the last knot then quickly scanned the area with his eyes. He turned to face Kira and she could see it in his eyes. No sign language needed here. They had to go—without Mahli.

Kira’s heart crumpled at the thought of leaving her friend behind, but she knew Nigel was right. They’d stayed too long in one place and they had to get as far away from the village as possible before setting up camp for the night. She could only hope Mahli would return and follow their scent to find them.

Nigel linked his fingers and bent down low—offering her a boost into the saddle. He launched her upward and she scooted forward in the saddle, giving him more room to mount behind her. They’d tried riding with Kira in the back, but for some reason Althros didn’t like it.

Nigel closed his arms around her to take the reins and nudged Althros with his heels. She had to admit it made her a little uncomfortable to have a Darkord’s arms around her, but more than once she’d nodded off while riding and found herself thankful his arms kept her sitting upright in the saddle. Despite his warning, she’d come to trust him more and more each day.

Kira took one last look, hoping to see Mahli romping through the grass to catch up, but she wasn’t there. As the hours passed and the village grew further away, her hope of ever seeing Mahli again seemed less likely. She only hoped she was strong enough to not fall victim to another animal’s hunger—or a Royal’s craving. That thought sent a shiver up Kira’s spine.

Althros threw his head to the side and slowed to a stop. Nigel signed,
you all right?

“I’m okay. Just got a chill . . . and I’m worried about Mahli.”

Nigel sighed deeply, but didn’t try to communicate any other message. He gave Althros another nudge, but he didn’t move. Instead, he tried to take a bite out of Nigel’s leg. Nigel tightened his hold on the reins and pulled them tight, giving Althros no room to move his head.

“Stop that!” Kira took the reins from Nigel and leaned forward to stroke the horse’s neck. “It’s okay buddy. Maybe we should walk for a while, give you a break.” She swung her foot over his head and slid down, regretting her decision the minute her tingling feet hit the ground. It took a few seconds for them to stop stinging and for her to shake off the desire to curse. She half expected Nigel to protest her dismount, but instead he jumped down beside her and began walking. She fell in behind him, leaving Althros to follow on his own, which he did.

Just before nightfall, they reached the edge of the B’Kari Mountains, its black pines hovering over them like giant demons waiting to suck out their souls. With every other forest they’d come to, the trees grew randomly along the road, first sporadic and thin, then thicker and closer together as they rode deeper into the forest. These trees grew in a straight line, like someone had planted a hedge around the entire mountain range—a black wall to keep everyone out.

Althros dug his front hoof into the dirt and threw his head into the air. Kira knew exactly how he felt; she’d sensed it too. The evil that lingered in the air was palpable.

“Umm, I’m not going in there.” Kira backed up until she stood beside Althros. She stroked his head while hugging his neck. “And neither is he.”

Nigel opened his satchel and withdrew the sketchpad, opening it to the map he’d drawn of their journey. He pointed to where they stood, then to the place marked as Lairdor—his home. The distance between the two places was barely a half inch on the paper, but what made the hair on Kira’s arms prick alive was that his village was deep in the B’Kari Mountains. Of course. Where else would a Darkord village be located, than in a place as dark and sinister as this?

Kira wrapped her arms around her torso and took another step back. “Maybe this isn’t such a great idea. I could go on my own from here—find a place to hide out for a while.”

Nigel closed the book and returned it to his satchel before trying once more with his gesturing hands to convince her to follow him.

Safe,
he gestured.

I protect you.

No fear.

Be strong.

It should have been sufficient to convince her to go with him, but it wasn’t. It was bad enough she had to worry about him turning on her, what would she do living in a village filled with Darkords, especially if some were like Zerek? She had to think this through.

“Can we camp here so I can have time to think about this?”

No. Dangerous.

“More dangerous than in there?” She pointed to the line of black pines.

Yes.

Kira turned and scanned the landscape they’d just crossed—the meandering dirt road that wound through the farmland and rolling hills, and the small stream they’d followed for most of the afternoon. “We could go back—find a place that’s safe.”
And find Mahli.
That thought tugged most at her heart.

She turned back to find Nigel watching her, the ominous wall of darkness behind him.
Safe. With me.

But it wasn’t only about being safe. She felt as though a precipice had appeared in front of her—a line drawn in the sand. If she went with him, stepped one foot beyond those trees, it would be like stepping from one life into another. She’d already decided to leave her world behind—there was nothing there for her anyway. And leaving Xantara, even though it ripped her heart in two, was the only choice she could make to save the ones she loved. So why was this so hard? Why did it feel so final, like any hope of going back would be gone forever?

She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. She’d made this decision while staring down the length of her arrow at Draego’s brother. She knew there was no going back at that very moment. So why was she questioning it now? Why was this so hard for her?

The answer came almost in a whisper.
Love
. Without that she wouldn’t be here. She wouldn’t have left if she didn’t love Octavion with all her heart. She wouldn’t have left if she hadn’t found a special connection, beyond that of the Crystor, with Altaria and Lydia. She wouldn’t have left if she hadn’t found a place in her heart for the people of Xantara—for the entire kingdom. Love had brought her here and love would get her through whatever the future held—good or bad.

Kira brushed her fingers through her hair, straightened her spine and faced Nigel full on. “I’m ready.” She gathered the reins in one hand and buried her fist in Althros’ main. “Give me a boost.”

Nigel stepped closer and shook his head.
Stay
.

“Althros can’t go with us?”

No. Dangerous
.

First Mahli and now Althros. She was quickly losing her friends and she didn’t like it. She stroked the horse’s head and looked into his chocolate brown eyes. “Looks like you’re finally getting your freedom, boy.”

Althros leaned into her, almost knocking her over.

“Yeah, I know. I’ll miss you too.”

While Kira said her goodbyes, Nigel stripped the horse of the saddle, blanket and bridle. He hid them in some bushes, then gathered their supplies in their blanket and swung them over his shoulder.

We go.

Kira wrapped her arms around Althros’ neck. “Don’t follow us, okay? It’s too dangerous.” She pulled away and wiped a tear from her cheek. “And if you see Mahli, give her a good scolding for me.”

Althros snorted and whipped his tail wildly from side to side.

Then Kira turned and followed Nigel into the B’Kari Mountains. She didn’t dare look back. She had to keep her focus on the future—on the new life she’d make with Nigel and whatever village or clan would accept her into their midst.

Even though the sun was setting, Kira expected to walk for several hours before finding a place to camp. So when Nigel stopped for the night after only a few minutes, she could have killed him. What difference would it have made for them to camp out in the open where they’d left Althros?

“I don’t get it. Why here? What makes this place any less dangerous than out there?” She hooked a finger over her shoulder.

He didn’t answer this time—didn’t even acknowledge she was there or that she’d said anything. For the first time since he’d rescued her from Draego, he pulled his whip out from his satchel and gave it a snap in the air. She grabbed the hilt of her knife, expecting another one of his lessons on how she needed to protect herself, but instead he flipped the popper of the whip up over a branch and used the length of it like a rope to climb a tree. He hung the bundle of supplies on one of the branches, then lowered the whip handle for Kira to take.

All she could think about was how she’d failed climbing the rope in gym class. This was not going to end well. “I can’t climb that. I’ll fall.”

Nigel motioned for her to grab hold.

“Seriously? Do you
know
me?

When he only wiggled the whip and raised his eyebrows, Kira rubbed her hands together, and took hold of the whip. But before she had a good grip, Nigel yanked her up a couple feet into the air. Her hands slipped off and she stumbled to the ground.

“Crap!” She hit the dirt with her fist. “I told you I can’t do it!”

A strange guttural noise came from behind her. She spun around to see what made it as Nigel jumped down, scooped her up and practically threw her into the tree. The next moment he was above her, pulling her further up, scraping her bare arms against the bark.

“Stop! You’re hurting me!”

Nigel slowed, but didn’t let go. He motioned for her to go higher, above him, but they were already so high that looking down made her head spin. She wrapped her arms around the trunk and held tight.

“Wait. I need to catch my breath first.”

Nigel snapped his whip in the air, making her jump and she almost lost her hold. He pointed to the ground, his face filled with determination.

Kira tightened her grip before looking down. A large deer-like creature stood directly beneath them. It didn’t look at all dangerous.

She found Nigel’s eyes again. “Does it bite?”

He held a finger to his lips.
Quiet.
He offered her one hand and pointed with the other.
Up. Now
.

The urgency in his eyes made her reach for the branch above her head. After gaining her balance, she followed him several more feet up until he stopped. He jumped to another branch as if he were a squirrel, then used his whip to swing to another until he was in a completely different tree. He turned to face her.