Rise of the Phoenix (Return To Avalore #2) (5 page)

The way she said the word made it clear she wasn’t thrilled about being his, but then, he already knew that. Another long, high-pitched howl resonated in the air. Her eyes widened, and then she was off running toward a stack of crates where Argram had hung.

An instant later, a large beast rushed in, its soulless eyes fixed on him. Each hard thump of its massive feet promised more pain to come. Rings around its neck, wrists, and ankles, lighter than the rest of its fur, were sure signs of maturity for the Erritrols. This creature was quickly becoming an Ikabrol. Evan shuddered. It was young, but it would be just as ruthless as any Ancient. “Where is the bitch?” Its fists clenched at its sides.

Evan didn’t dare avert his gaze. If he so much as glanced in her direction, it would find her. “She’s gone.”

The iron fist struck fast and hard, taking the breath from his lungs. The impact severed the last of the already frayed rope, sending Evan sprawling on his back. The beast took a step toward him, growling, its teeth bared, nothing but pure hatred shining in its obsidian eyes, ready to tear into Evan’s flesh. Its eyes grew wide, then a thin wheeze came from its parted lips before it slumped to the floor with two blade handles sticking out from its back.

Brienne wasted no time loosening the ropes at Evan’s wrists, freeing his arms at last.

Ignoring the pain engulfing him, Evan pulled her close, lifted them both from the ground, out the door and into the night sky.

Brienne’s throat constricted, making it hard to catch her breath. She had used this method of travel all her life, but Evan moved so fast she couldn’t establish any landmarks. Everything below them was a blur of dark green, grey and black.

“Where are you taking me?”
She turned her head to look at him. Pain darkened his pale blue eyes. The damage to his face and body made her want to scream. Dried blood plastered his dark sable hair to his scalp. Fury roiled inside, not only hers, but the dragon’s as well. Closing her eyes, she tried to block the sight of his injuries, if only for a few moments so she could think.

“Far from this place.”
His velvety voice slid into her mind, easing into it as though it had always been there, as if it belonged.

Aware he wasn’t at full strength, Brienne gathered power, adding it to his.
“I can take over. Just tell me where you want to go. Save your energy for healing.”

Heat emanated from his body, cocooning her, making her want to snuggle closer. His warm and spicy scent alone made her tingle and her pulse race, until it was all she could do to keep from running her tongue down his neck to have a taste. It would be so easy, too. Opening her eyes, she saw the bounding pulse on the long column of his neck. A little nip, one swipe of her tongue, and she would have more fodder for her fantasies, but nothing had changed. She had a mission to complete, and he had to go back to Avalore.

“No need. We’re already there.”

Had he started descending, she would have noticed they had been about to land, but he had been going higher. The howling wind whipped the hair from her braid to fly around her face. Her cheeks stung and pinched with the cold. When she opened her eyes, the highest peak of the Golme Mountains loomed straight ahead. She didn’t need to see any landmarks to know where she was. No other summit was high enough to produce the sluggishness pressing down on her.

She had to admire the tactic. It was a smart move. It would take days for the Erritrols to climb so high, if they could at all. Unfortunately, she and the frigid temperatures at this elevation were not compatible, and unless they had provisions of water and a warm place to rest, she knew sickness would be upon her soon, not to mention that Evan needed a place to recover from his injuries.

A fine tremor shook her as the cool air leached the warmth from her exposed skin.
“I can’t stay up here. I’m going to freeze to death.”
The soft clacking of her chattering teeth accentuated her point.

His gaze shot down to hers before lifting to the mountainside again.
“I will not allow you to be uncomfortable.”
Even as he spoke, the heat rolling off his body intensified.

The face of the mountain grew closer and closer, yet he didn’t relent.
“Evan. You need to slow down. We’re going to hit the mountain.”
Her heart skipped a beat then raced so fast she thought it might explode from her chest. Tightening her arms around him, she burrowed her face against his neck and braced for impact.

Being so close, and taking his warm, spicy scent into her lungs was sweet torture. It was like offering a child a view of their most desired toy and not allowing them to play with it even once.

Evan’s chest vibrated against her. Had she not been so close, she would have missed it. Was she hurting him by holding on to him so tight? He had suffered so many injuries at the hands of the beasts. She hadn’t had time to examine him closely, but she would have had to been blind not to see the gaping wounds on his chest and sides. They had taken great pains to stab him through and through without killing him. She tried to pull away from him, to take the pressure off his injuries, but he held her close.

“I don’t want to hurt you. Let me go. I can carry myself.”
Not wanting to cause more pain, she made her body pliant against his.

The soft vibration intensified.
“You’re not hurting me.”
Merriment laced his words.

He was laughing at her. Pulling herself back a little, she looked up at him. Damn the man. His eyes sparkled and he was trying to keep from smiling. Here she was worrying about him and his injuries and he stood there laughing at her?

Her anger quickly changed to shock, and then back again. He was standing. He had her so tied up in knots that he’d taken her to solid ground without her realizing. Careful not to push against injuries, she shoved at him, stepping back as she did.

“You could have told me we’d descended.” She glanced around the small clearing. “So, what now? We sit here and freeze for a while?” She couldn’t keep the bite from her tone. He looked too damned good even with his injuries, making her yearn for things she had no business wanting. Things she had given up years ago and had no claim over anymore. Digging into her pocket, she pulled out two gridom stones.

She couldn’t very well leave him up here in the cold mountains to fend for himself with the injuries he had, but she didn’t have to get too cozy either. “Put this on. It’ll cover your energy until we can figure out where to go from here.” She would help him heal and see him back to the relative safety of Avalore, then return to the pack.
I can do this. Leaving him didn’t kill me the first time, and it won’t kill me now.
Deep inside, her dragon’s derisive snort grated.
Oh, shut up.

“Thank you, but no. That stone is what kept me captive, and since you insist on stepping away from the heat I’m providing, we’ll go inside and get you out of the cold.” He turned, heading toward the rock face of the mountain.

Maybe they had knocked his head while they’d kept him prisoner and he was confused. Rolling her shoulders, she started after him with a sigh. “There’s no inside to go to. Let me see to your injuries and we can figure out where to go from there.”

He didn’t look back, just shook his head and stopped walking. “You can stay out in the cold, or you can come with me. I’m not up to quarrelling right now.” When she didn’t respond, his shoulders dropped a fraction before he stepped around a large boulder, hiding him from sight, but not before she noted his pronounced limp.

She half expected him to come back out from behind the large rock, but he didn’t. She took a tentative step forward. Maybe his injuries were more severe than she’d thought. Maybe the blood loss was affecting his mind. Heart racing, she quickened her steps.

“Evan…” Where in Goddess’ name had he gone? The large boulder sat against the rock face. He couldn’t have gone around the other side, and she would have seen him if he had taken to the air. Had it not been for his radiant warmth, she might have missed the opening altogether. The rock formation jutted out just enough to hide the entrance, but it was there.

“Clever.” The mouth of the cave was small. Brienne stooped just to get in. She couldn’t imagine how Evan had fit. Once inside, the chamber was massive with three distinct tunnels leading from it.

She couldn’t stop the shudder from coursing through her or the goose flesh from rising on her skin. Caves were her least favorite places to be. When she had first arrived in the Dark Lands, she’d been cold and alone and had taken refuge in a small cave close to the Avalorian border. She would never forget the high-pitched screech of the venomous creatures, or the wailing of the animal they had surrounded and killed. The slow and agonizing death had haunted her nightmares for weeks. When Argram had found her, she had been exhausted and starving, too afraid to go out and find food. She had stayed huddled in that little cave, praying the creatures had moved on yet not brave enough to go into the night to find out.

Snap out of it, Brie. You’re not the same scared girl you were back then.
She took a step, then another, not allowing her fear to take root. It wasn’t hard to follow Evan’s lead. His body heat warmed the tunnel, enticing her forward.

The steep incline made walking difficult, but she didn’t mind the physical strain. She was used to harsh terrain and uncompromising situations. This was a mission, like any other. She just had to keep herself focused on the task and get it done. Keeping her bearings inside a cave was paramount. The absolute darkness, even with her enhanced eyesight, made it treacherous. Sliding her hand along the wall to her left, she kept pace, putting one foot in front of the other until she reached a juncture in the tunnels.

She couldn’t tell which way he had gone. The area was warm, too warm to be coming from Evan alone. Why hadn’t she thought about the heat of the volcano before? He might not be in there at all. She tried to swallow around the dry lump in her throat as it threatened to close off her air supply.
Goddess above, what am I doing in these tunnels?

A small trickle of sweat raced down her spine. Heart racing, she reached out for the help she had sworn she would never ask for. “
Evan?”
The thumping of her heart sounded like a drum in her ears.
“I… I don’t know which way to go.”
If he were in these tunnels, he would help her. Wouldn’t he?

Brushing strands of hair from her face, she was surprised to find her fingers trembling.

“If you’re at the fork, you’ve almost arrived.”
His weary voice strained with each word.

“Do I keep left, or go right?”
Shoving the panic aside, she took another step forward. At least he wasn’t too far if she needed him. She had never seen the vicious Grondas so far in these lands, but she was no expert on the nasty creatures.

“Right is faster, but left is easier. Both end here.”
He paused before adding.
“Go left. I’ll meet you.”

More than anything, she would love his reassuring presence in the oppressive darkness, but he wasn’t fit to be exerting himself.
“No, sit and rest. I’ll be there soon.”

Turning to the right, she kept moving. She had been walking for a few minutes when loose pebbles had her tumbling and scraping her palms against the jagged stone walls on her way down.

“Damn it.” She rose, more careful of her footing, brushing away the small stones embedded in her palm.

“How did I know you would go right?”

She let out a little scream and stumbled back at the sound of Evan’s deep voice. “Goddess above. You scared me half to death.” She couldn’t see him, but his energy was close.

“I apologize. I thought you’d heard my approach.” Pale blue light flared to life a couple of feet in front of her, pushing the darkness to the edges of the tunnel.

“I hadn’t. And don’t look at me like that. I took the right because it was the most expedient way to get to you. You’re injured and need healing.” She wasn’t about to tell him she had been so frightened to be alone in the caves, being swallowed by the darkness, that she’d had to fight off a panic attack. Never mind that she hadn’t thought to use her energy to light the way. She so seldom used it in the Dark Lands that she hadn’t even considered it.

If the look in his eye was anything to go by, he didn’t believe a word. She sighed again. “Come on, take me wherever it is you’re taking me so I can heal your wounds and set you on your way back home.”

His eyebrows rose. “Fine. This way.” When he took her hand to lead her, she was too shocked to resist.

Sweet, soothing heat emanated from his palm and into hers. It had been a long time since she had experienced softness of any kind, and she reveled in the comfort it provided until she realized what he was doing. “Stop that. I can heal my injuries. Worry about your own.” She tried to pull her hand away, but his strong grip kept her where she was.

“If you’ll stop struggling for a moment, you’ll realize it’s already done.” His gaze sought hers, a spark of annoyance shining in his eyes.

“I…” The sting in her palm was gone. She hadn’t been in the Dark Lands so long that she had forgotten common courtesy. Just because her heart raced each time he was near didn’t mean she had to be rude or obstinate. It wasn’t his fault her body was drawn to his, but then, it wasn’t hers either. “Thank you.”