Authors: Kate Douglas
Crystalfire (33 page)
Willow clung to him as if she’d never let go, but it didn’t matter, because Taron had a grip on her that was even tighter. He was still trying to comprehend the fact that she was actually alive when Dax grabbed him by the arm and shoved CrystalFire into the sheath on his back.
Alton took his other arm, both men lifted, and Taron was suddenly on his feet still holding Willow tightly against his chest.
“Hang on to your woman and hurry,” Dax said. Taron stumbled in his attempt to keep up, but then he got his feet under him and, holding Willow close, allowed Alton and Dax to rush him toward the portal.
He wasn’t sure what the rush was all about until Alton yelled, “Down!”
They all ducked behind a boulder as the brilliant beam of a spotlight slashed across the mountainside.
“Nine hells but that was close.” Alton was up and had all of them moving again the moment the aircraft passed them by.
“I can walk,” Willow said.
“Not now.” Taron hung on even tighter. No way was he letting her go. Not until they were safe. They reached the portal and slipped through mere seconds ahead of the next pass by that aircraft he knew was called a helicopter.
Any other time, he’d be out there gawking at the thing, trying to figure out how it stayed aloft, what kind of motor powered it, how the aerodynamics functioned. He’d heard of them but had never seen one before ... but now was not the time.
Willow was alive. He still couldn’t believe he held a live woman in his arms. She’d been dead. He was certain she’d died. He’d searched for a pulse, tried to find a heartbeat, kissed lips as cold as ice.
Now she was warm and alive and already giving him grief.
“Let me walk, Taron.” She glared at him.
He just grinned right back. Then he kissed her, and this time her lips were warm and alive, and kissing him back. “Later,” he said, when they finally broke apart. “There’s no way I’m turning you loose. Not yet.”
She smiled at him and cupped his jaw in her palm. “Okay.”
He frowned as they passed through the main portal into Lemuria and headed down the tunnel to the golden veil. “Okay? That’s all you’re going to say? No argument? Just okay?”
“Uh huh.”
“Oh.” He grinned and tightened his hold on her. She looped her arms around his neck and settled her head on his shoulder.
Alton walked beside him with a huge, sappy grin on his face. Taron glanced his way. Then he glared at him. “What?”
Alton just laughed. Taron shook his head and kept walking, but he couldn’t stop grinning, either. In fact, he felt as if his face might split wide open if he grinned any wider.
He had Willow in his arms, the demon was dead, and ... and ... Damn. He had Willow in his arms. It just didn’t get any better.
They met late the next morning, almost all of those who’d been involved in the past month’s events, including the ones who’d been on the mountainside for the final battle, all of them gathering in Artigos’s chambers. Crystal, looking more like a lovely housewife than a demigoddess with her hair in a crown of braids around her head and wearing a comfortable tunic and loose pants, passed around a tray of sweet rolls and hot drinks.
Taron found a comfortable spot on a long, low couch and looped his arms around Willow’s waist as she settled herself on his lap. Mari and Darius stepped through the portal and took a seat next to Taron and Willow.
Willow leaned against his chest. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with her sweet scent and tightened his grasp around her. She tilted her head back and looked at him upside down. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Just making sure.”
Mari laughed. “Did anyone warn you that Lemurian men are sort of possessive?”
Selyn plopped down on the couch beside Mari and Darius. Dawson sat next to her. “No more than Lemurian women,” he said.
Selyn jabbed him in the ribs.
He doubled over, groaning dramatically. “Just sayin’.”
Dax and Eddy, with Bumper bouncing alongside, came in, supporting Ed between them. He was already looking more like himself, though he’d obviously had a rough few days.
Willow twisted so she could see them. “Eddy? Did you get a chance to check on Mr. Puccini?”
Eddy helped settle her dad in a chair, told Bumper to sit and stay, and walked across the room. “I slipped out through the portal and called another neighbor this morning. He’s doing better. Still in the hospital, but they expect to discharge him in a day or two.”
Taron thought of the old man, lying so still and lifeless on the ground. “Does he remember what happened?”
She sighed. “No. Not a thing. He doesn’t even remember going outside, and his blood pressure was so low when they found him that that’s what they’re treating him for. He’ll be fine, but it sounds as if the demon almost killed him.”
She wrapped her fingers around Dax’s hand as he stepped up beside her. “He didn’t mention you or Willow or anything about Ed, so that’s good. There were four other similar cases—forgotten memories, very low blood pressure. It’ll keep doctors busy searching for a common cause.”
Willow nodded. “We knew the demon had taken the life force from more people, but we were afraid he might have killed them.”
“For some reason, he didn’t take everything. He left them alive.” Dax leaned over and kissed Eddy’s cheek. “I’m going to go sit with your dad. He’s still pretty shaky.”
He and Darius walked back to stand beside Ed’s seat. Eddy glanced their way but then she turned and smiled at Taron and Willow. “Me, too. But Taron ... Willow? Thank you both. The easy way out would have been to kill the avatar. Thank you for being so careful with Dad. You saved his life.”
Willow took Eddy’s hand and squeezed. “We love your dad, Eddy. He’s one of the good guys.”
“Yeah.” Eddy grinned. “He is, isn’t he? Damn, Willow! Am I ever going to get used to seeing you as a real woman? This is just freaky, but you’re so gorgeous! Wow!”
Taron held Willow even closer. “Gorgeous is a given and ‘wow’ is an understatement.”
Laughing, Eddy leaned over, planted a big kiss on Taron and then walked back to join Dax and her father.
The large room filled with people. Roland and Chara and their son and Artigos II and Gaia, Ginny, and Alton stood at the far side, talking to Crystal. Nica and Isra had entered together and sat on another couch across from Selyn and Dawson. Mari joined Darius near Eddy, Dax, and Ed.
A few other Paladins, a couple of guardsmen and some of the new members of the council arrived. After a few minutes while everyone milled about talking and laughing, filling the room with scattered bits and pieces of the amazing events they’d all been part of, Artigos the Just walked over to stand beside his grandson. He clapped his hands, drawing everyone’s attention.
Taron thought he could probably have gotten the same effect by merely standing quietly in one spot for a moment. The man definitely had presence. Then Taron found his gaze shifting to his dearest friend. Alton had the same charisma, the same natural qualities as his grandfather. Someday, he and Ginny would make as formidable a ruling couple as Artigos and Crystal did today.
But that was something yet to come, and Artigos was speaking of the here and now. He gazed out over the room as if he spoke before the entire population of Lemuria, every bit their ruler, and yet he was the same man who’d carried a badly wounded human to safety just hours ago.
A leader anyone would be proud to follow. Taron glanced about the gathering and realized how much he had changed in just a few short days. Where he’d admired Artigos the Just before, he now saw the man through new eyes—saw him as a fellow soldier as much as his leader. It was something to think about—a reminder of his own new reality as a man.
He was not merely one thing or another. Not limited to scholar or philosopher or that most surprising discovery, passionate beast. He was so much more than a mere scholar. Somewhere, somehow, over the past few days, another side of his nature had been set free, a wild side he’d not even known existed. It was there now, a part of him for all time. It was going to be an interesting journey, watching the two—scholar and beast—learn to cohabit peacefully.
But since Willow seemed quite fond of the wild side, he knew he’d figure it out. With that thought in mind, Taron focused on their leader.
Artigos smiled at Crystal and then turned again to the gathering. “Thank you, all of you, for coming this morning. You’ve been invited because each of you has had a personal role to play in the events just past. Events that will change Lemuria for all time to come. Just a few short days ago, our council was ruled by demonkind, an entire generation of young women were enslaved in the mines below, and I was still a prisoner without hope of ever knowing freedom again.”
He glanced about the room, somehow managing to make eye contact with every single person there. “Today we are facing a future none of us ever imagined—a chance for the people of Lemuria to go forward without fear of demonkind, a chance to once again reclaim the heritage we lost so many thousands of years ago. We have that future because of you. All of you in this room have had a part in saving our world from a terrible fate. Giving us all a chance to build a stronger civilization, one free to grow as it is meant to grow.”
He put an arm around Alton and hugged him close. “Much is due to my dear grandson. Alton was willing to take risks few of his peers might have attempted.”
Blushing, Alton returned the hug and then reached almost frantically for Ginny’s hand. Where he might have once laughed at his friend’s discomfort, Taron realized he felt highly sympathetic. There was something about the strength of a woman standing beside a man. Illogical but undeniable.
And absolutely wonderful.
But Artigos was still speaking, and Taron focused on their leader once again. “Dax, you were thrown into this battle, as were so many others. Offered a choice to run or fight, you chose to fight for a world you’d never known. Eddy, Ginny, Dawson, Mari—your courage is why we succeeded. Humans willing to risk your lives for Lemuria. Selyn, you, Nica, and Isra were treated abominably by your own people, and yet you took up arms to fight demonkind and protect the same world that turned its back on you. There is no greater example of selfless courage. Ed? I understand you’ve long believed we existed in spite of facts saying otherwise. I commend you.” He chuckled softly when Eddy raised her eyebrows and made a face at her father.
“I also must thank you—your willingness to sacrifice yourself rather than do the demon’s bidding is a large part of our victory. Evil has a difficult time fighting such a pure and good intention.”
Then he stepped across the room and stood in front of Taron and Willow. “And you two!” He shook his head, laughing. “When I realized our champion, the only man standing between good and evil was one simple scholar, Taron of Libernus, I must admit I was sorely discouraged. You’ve done all of Lemuria proud, my boy.”
Taron chuckled. “Thank you, but believe me, m’lord. You weren’t alone. I was every bit as discouraged. But none of us, myself included, counted on Willow.”
She jerked her head around and stared at him, wide-eyed. “What do you mean?”
“Willow, do you honestly think I could have beaten the demon king on my own?” He shook his head. “No way.”
She stood up and planted her hands on her hips and actually glared at him.
He opened his mouth to say something, but he totally forgot what he intended to say. Instead, he was trapped in the beauty of her, in the fact she was still here, still his. He’d not had time yet to process all that had happened, all that waited for him—for them. They’d only had time for a few hours of much needed sleep and a quick shower before meeting here this morning, but that was it. They’d been too tired even to make love.
He almost laughed out loud. That was definitely
too tired
.
too tired
.
Willow had put on the only clean clothes available—one of the traditional Lemurian robes. She looked like an angel with her blond hair falling in shimmering waves over her shoulders, and like a man possessed, he lost himself in her, running his fingers through the strands that fell almost to her waist.
“It’s longer without the curls,” he said, grasping for something simple, something he could understand, but he was caught in a rush of emotion he really couldn’t explain.
Her gentle laughter had him looking up and seeing only Willow. It took a moment before he realized the room had gone quiet, that everyone looked their way.
Heat spread over his face. “I mean ...”
Suddenly Alton was beside him, and he planted one firm hand on Taron’s shoulder. “I know exactly what you mean.”
Artigos laughed softly. “I think we all do.”
Taron glanced from Alton to Ginny, from Artigos to Crystal, who stood close beside him, and then back at his friend. “I guess you do. And I know that you Alton, of all of us, understand what it’s like for a man who expected to live his life alone, to discover there is so much more when it’s shared.”
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