Rise (War Witch Book 1) (59 page)

Ramora fought like an Ogre, with no quarter asked, and none given. Sabra couldn't wait to wade into battle at her side, for she was certain, her people would sing songs of their glory for ages to come. As an Ogre, there was nothing more worthy, and as a child of the Beserker God, Morobon, there was no higher calling. Nor as a Blessed of Verea could she stand by and do nothing that might bring pain to another.

Now, at least, she felt she could stand at her fellow warrior’s side, with a clear conscious, and do her Gods proud.

"You know, I really like how Tia puts a touch of cinnamon in her coffee," Chara said, sipping the hot drink with a smile.

Esteban nodded. "She puts a dollop of vanilla cream in mine."

"She could probably just do a coffee shop and be wealthy," Chara grinned.

"Yes, but then who would take care of us?" Esteban replied.

Across the room, Tia flushed and fussed, bustling about so as not to look like she'd overheard. The wide smile on her face told all, though, making the other patrons of the inn chuckle at her.

The front door slammed open and Ramora stormed through, her greatsword in hand. She paused at the staircase, leveling the Heavensteel blade on her two companions as they sat, mugs to their lips, staring back at her wide-eyed. Her message clear, the Blessed of Ramor stalked up the steps.

"She knows," Chara whimpered.

“Yup." Esteban nodded.

"We're so dead," she cried.

"No, just you," he snickered. "I wanted no part in this to start with."

Indignant, Chara reminded him, "Hey! We're a couple! We stand together, and we fall together!"

Esteban shrugged. "Normally, yes, but in the face of an enraged Blessed of Ramor, I can say that it won't be me sleeping on the floor should I go down with you for this."

Startled, Chara stared at him pathetically for a moment, then sank into her chair and sulked. "Fine time for you to grow a pair."

"I bided my time, beloved," he smirked.

Upstairs, Ramora stomped down the hallway to Leto's room, banging on the door with the hilt of her sword. When he opened it, and saw the massive weapon in her hand, he knew the cat was out of the bag, so to speak. Her outraged expression probably should’ve tipped him off as well, but the sword worked better.

"Okay, I know you're angry," he started.

Ramora shoved him back into his room, kicking the door shut as she followed him in. He knew enough of her sign language to get what she said after that.

"I didn't have a right, I know," he admitted, holding his hands up. "I just want you to know, I am sorry."

Ramora rolled her eyes, waving her sword around. He didn't need to know sign language to understand that.

"I just wanted you to have a good memory," he told her, dropping his hands to stare at the floor. "You have so many bad ones, it seems unfair. Someone like you deserves some happiness. We aren't your family, and I know that, but for one day, we can try to stand in their place, and tell the Gods we're thankful they brought your soul into this world."

Ramora stared at him, trying her best to hold on to her mock anger. Sabra had defused her nicely, but the words Leto spoke, they filled her with warmth.

"Forgive me, please," he said. "Don't hold the others accountable. This was me. Perhaps it was selfish, but I wanted to see you smile, on the anniversary of such a horrific event. If I could do that, then maybe I could push the darkness from your heart, even a little. You've earned that."

Setting her sword aside, she shook her head. How could she deny such a kind wish? Each of them, old friends and new, reaching out to her, trying their best to wipe away some small fragment of the nightmare. It was more than kind, and as a Priestess, she should've seen that without having to be told.

"I promise, we won't do anything you don't want to do," Leto assured her. "But I hope you'll forgive us all if we want to share our thanks with you, and Heaven, that you're part of our lives."

Ramora held a hand up, trying to silence him.

"Ramora, please, just hear me out," he pressed.

She held a hand up again, finally getting him to fall silent as he gave her a sad look and sagged.
Silly man
, she thought,
it's hard to kiss you when you won't shut up.

Stepping closer to him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned up, finding his lips, tasting them, and savored it. Leto stood stock still for a moment, then wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer as he returned the kiss.

"So, wait," he stammered when she pulled back. "You're not mad?"

Ramora kissed him again, long, deep, and with all the passion she felt in her heart for this kind, gentle, sweet man, who’d longed only to bring her a smile on the day she'd long marked to bear remembrance for the worst event of her life. The bitter ache she had carried since that day felt lighter as he held her, and for that, she was beyond thankful.

Pulling away, she steadied herself, catching her breath, his kiss beyond anything she'd dreamed of. As he looked down at her, eyes bright with the goodness he carried in his soul, she knew she was ready.

I only have one thing I want for this day
, she told him, then touched his chest.

Leto tried to find a way to respond to that without sounding stupid. He couldn't, so he kissed her again. Together, they tumbled onto his bed, losing themselves in each other.

CHARA GLARED AT THE DOOR
to Ramora's room. Knocking again, she waited, desperation growing in her heart. Her friend had never come back downstairs, taken dinner, or even shown her face to either she or Esteban after her warning to them. Worse, Leto hadn't made an appearance, either. She was certain they'd fought, even more certain Ramora had cried herself to sleep, and even now, lay there, sad and alone.

She just couldn't bear it. After all she'd done for the young woman, she simply couldn't leave it be. Ramora was more than her friend, and she needed to make this right, comfort her, and be the friend she didn't always manage to be. She felt as if her soul was tearing as the door refused to open, the woman on the other side ignoring her.

"This is bad," she said.

"I told you not to do it," Esteban huffed.

Chara shook her head in dismay. "I never thought she would react like this!"

"How would you've reacted, in her place?" the big Cat asked.

Thumping her forehead against the door, Chara felt like she was about to cry. "I am such an idiot."

Esteban managed not to agree with her on that. "Perhaps we would do better to check in with Leto, and leave Ramora be for now. She will come to us when she's ready."

"Yeah," she groaned. "Now that it's too damn late."

Tugging her along, he headed down the hall, pausing outside Leto's room to give the door a solid rap. After a moment, when he didn't answer, Chara's face filled with terror.

"Oh, Gods, she killed him."

Esteban gave her an irked look. "I doubt she was that angry."

"She had her sword!" Chara reminded him. "Oh, Gods, she probably didn't even mean to! What do we do?"

"Not panic?" he suggested.

Hesitant, she tried the doorknob, and found it locked. "Oh, no. She ripped into him, and now he's in there all sad, probably drunk, feeling like a jerk. At least he's not dead."

"Where do you get these ideas from?" her lover asked in surprise.

Chara gave him a glare. "Well, what else would it be?"

Esteban stared at her, face neutral. "I can't imagine."

"Okay, you're going to have to break the lock," she said after a moment, nodding to herself.

"Me?" he gasped. "Why?"

Chara slumped in dismay. "Well, cause I'm not strong enough, and I don't want to shoot it open. Just, turn it really hard. Come on. We need to make sure he's okay."

"You've got to be kidding," he argued.

"I'm not!" she snapped. "Just open the door. Please?"

Vexed beyond words, Esteban sighed, looked to the Heavens for guidance, and grabbed the doorknob, giving it a solid yank. He could hear the lock shatter as it rolled it over and waved Chara to go ahead.

"Thank you, sweetheart," she said.

"Always a pleasure to violate the law for you, love," he muttered.

Giving him a snide look, she pushed the door open and stepped into Leto's room, words of condolence already forming on her lips. They died there, too, as she stared at Ramora and the Blessed of Grannax lying curled up together, the morning sun coming in the window striking them, giving them a golden glow.

"Oh, well, fuck," she stammered.

"I'd say that was likely," Esteban sighed. He took her by the arm, attempting to drag her away.

She was deceptively strong as she refused to move, her mind whirling a mile a minute, trying to figure out what had led to this. As she gaped, Ramora stirred, looked up at her and blinked a few times, cocking an eyebrow.

"You aren't crying alone in your room, sad and depressed," Chara shouted, pointing a finger at her as if it were an accusation.

Ramora stared at her, baffled. Leto stretched, yawned, and looked up, spotting the indignant Chara and humiliated Esteban, standing in his door. For some reason.

"Uh," he managed.

"And you," Chara snapped, finger traveling to him. "You aren't drunk, or dead!"

Leto rubbed his eyes. "Um, sorry?"

Ramora sank down, pulling the sheet up as she silently groaned in embarrassment. Esteban kept tugging fruitlessly on Chara's arm. Leto looked around, confused. Chara broke out in a brilliant smile.

"Happy birthday!" she shrieked.

Covering her face, Ramora tried to hide her laughter. Typical Chara.

"Beloved, maybe we should go?" Esteban suggested, tugging at her.

"Hang on," she shushed, grinning at the two. "So, what did you guys do last night?"

Ramora snorted as Leto fumbled about. "Well, um, you see, we, uh, that is, it's um..."

"Wow," Chara said in wonderment. "It's true. Blond boys are dumb, too."

Esteban thought about bodily removing her. Leto shrugged and gave a goofy smile. Ramora threw a pillow, hitting her friend square in the face.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it," she snickered. "You two, take your time. We'll meet you at the castle later. Since Leto already gave you his birthday present, it's only fair the rest of us get to as well. So, you know."

Ramora gave an embarrassed wave as Esteban finally succeeded in dragging his lover from the room. Pulling the door closed behind them, he sagged in the hallway for a moment, then glared at her.

"What?" she asked.

"How could you not have figured out what was going on?" he demanded. "I got it! Me!"

Chara took an indignant stance. "You could probably smell it or something. I didn't see any clues that would've told me what happened."

"Really?" he gaped. "She's not answered her door, his room is locked, and you aren't seeing any giant, screaming hints that they were... indisposed?"

"Nope," she shot back. "I was too worried about her well-being."

"Her well-being looked plenty tended to me," he snapped.

"Now as we know that," Chara replied, waving a hand to dismiss the whole matter. "We should be going. We'll be late."

Esteban fumed silently a moment. "You are impossible."

"Just remember that, sweetheart, and everything will be fine," she replied.

Inside the room, Ramora had to wonder if they knew she and Leto could hear every word they were saying. Rolling her eyes over to Leto, she saw him giving the door a quizzical look, and tried to smile a little. He just shook his head and laughed.

"Now and then, I forget that you three really have a sort of special relationship," he said as he laid back.

Ramora gave a little shrug. That was one way to describe it, she guessed. She would've gone with intrusive, maybe humiliating, but she supposed special worked too.

"Well, now that we’ve gotten the awkward morning after part out of the way," he chuckled.

Ramora grinned as she snuggled against him. She knew, if the situation was reversed, she would've given Chara Hells, as well. In a strange way, it was comforting. Their relationship had been strained ever since Imicot's keep, and while part of her still ached, she was glad the other woman felt like it was okay to give her a hard time. It meant they were both moving on.

As Leto kissed her tenderly, she was glad for it. It was time, maybe, to move on from a lot of things. Sliding on top of him, she felt the world become a bit brighter.