Kira's body was aflame, or at least that's how it felt. She sat up, screaming. Her fingers clawed at her arms, nearly breaking the skin. There were no flames, no smoke, and no sign of the fire tearing through her. Blurred vision kept her from making out if she was still in Addrick's house and her screams drowned out any other sounds. She tried to stand, up but someone pushed on her shoulders to force her back down while someone else pushed on her stomach. Everything hurt. From her toes to her hair follicles, there wasn't a single speck of her that didn't burn with pain. Moisture in her mouth dried until she thought she was swallowing sand.
The hands on her shoulders were weaker than the ones pushing on her stomach. When she tried to sit up again, they struggled to keep her in place. When her vision cleared, Myra leaned over her, pushing the full weight of her body onto Kira's shoulders. Gray hair hung in her face, sticking to the sweat coating Myra's cheeks. Kira opened her mouth to speak but only screams escaped. Her hand turned so the back pressed against the ground, her fingers curled up. Energy pooled in her palm, sparking bolts of lightning from the tips of her fingers. Something in her mind told her to launch the power at Addrick touching her stomach. Myra moved one hand from her shoulder and gripped Kira's arm.
"I know yer body is telling ye to fight him, but ye have to resists. It isn't ye who wants this to stop. Let his power in ye."
Kira turned her head and looked at her hand. An energy ball spun in the center of her palm, bolts of lightning curled around themselves. A voice in her head, telling her to burn Myra's hand. It hissed and snarled at her when she didn't comply. She looked to Myra. The older woman continued to hold her arm and her shoulder, watching the magic build in Kira's palm. Kira's fingers twitched as she tried to curl them over the ball, but they wouldn't listen. A tremor shook her arm the more she tried to close her hand until finally her fingers cooperated. They closed over the energy, snuffing it into submission.
"It's not working, Myra." Addrick's voice sounded sharp, piercing her ear drums. She looked to him. A glow surrounded his hands, spreading into her stomach where they pushed on her. "I got rid of the unfinished bind, but I can't get the other two."
"Keep trying, Addrick."
Kira wanted to beg him to stop. Stars speckled her vision anywhere she looked. It seemed impossible, but the pain increased. The screams returned. Kira arched backwards as another voice called her. This one told her to kill Addrick. She closed her eyes, ignoring the violent shouts in her head. Her legs kicked against the ground, her body trying to wriggle free from their grasp. One hand reached for Addrick, wanting to burn his flesh, but it couldn't lift far enough from the ground to reach him. Weight pulled on her bones. She opened her eyes again. His gaze moved from her stomach to her face. Kira opened and closed her mouth, trying to formulate a plea. Wrinkles creased his brow when he closed his eyes. A growl rumbled in his throat before he pulled his hands away. The moment his hands released from their touch, the pain went with them. Kira rolled on her side, pulling her knees to her chest, and cried.
"It's not working. My Guardian magic isn't enough and it's hurting her."
"Yer letting yer feelings for her cloud yer judgment."
"Nay! I'm not. Look at her, look at the pain this is causing. Blood magic isn't like other magics and worse yet, it's a bind made with blood magic. How do ye expect me to be able to erase that? Binds in general are nay impossible to get rid of if the caster is still alive—"
"Don't give me a lesson on binding magic and blood magic, lad. I know how they work more than ye do." Myra sighed. "I'm going to go consult the other seers. Perhaps there is something else we can try."
Kira heard Myra gather her belongings before slamming the door as she left. Addrick shook Kira, but she refused to unravel from the tight ball she tucked herself into. He lay on his side in front of her, one arm curled around her waist when he slid closer. She opened her eyes to look at him. Gray eyes met her gaze, staring at her. Wrinkles had smoothed back to invisibility. She wanted to stroke the soft fresh buzz of his hair, but even to that required more effort than she could muster.
"Are ye all right?" Addrick asked.
"What was that?"
"We were trying to break the binding on yer seer's powers."
"How can I use any magic if Rodyn's bound it?"
"It wasn't Rodyn that did this to ye." He took a deep breath and ran a hand through her hair. "Around his neck is a Calandrian crystal, I saw it at his throat . . . after the dance. They're very rare. Most were lost over after the sealing of Calandria from the human realm. They allowed communication from great distances, but some Wilders found a way to transmit magic through them. How Rodyn got his hands on one, I don't know. It was the person on the other end of this crystal who bound yer power. And they did it with blood magic."
"How do you know?"
"The other symbol on yer stomach, the three stars meeting at their tips. Myra says they're the mark of blood magic. Our symbols can be used as a warning, without magic, but they can also be used to aid our magic. In this case, that symbol added with the others have strengthened them."
"Would you have been able to break the bind if they hadn't been made by blood magic?"
"I don't know. It was worth a shot. But the magic is strong. The pain ye felt was caused by it fighting back." Addrick leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. When he pulled back, his lips hovered over hers, barely touching. "If there is any way I can break this bind on ye, I'll do it."
Kira smiled. Finally she pulled herself from her ball and curved her arms behind his neck. Addrick wiggled closer, so close no space remained between them. Each caress of his fingers along her spine sent a shiver bubbling through her. Her heart pounded. Their closeness made her both nervous and excited. She'd never felt the butterflies dance in her stomach the way they did when Addrick was around.
"I thought emotions were useless and here you are, caring what happens to me. Or is that part of your duty?"
"Ye stopped being my duty a long time ago, Kira. And emotions are useless, but I'm still a man. Not even I can deny the urges within me. Though I still think yer an idiot."
"And I still think you're an ass." Kira finished closing the distance between their lips. Strong hands slid along her back, holding her close to his body as their lips continued to dance with one another. A cross between a moan and a purr rumbled in his throat. Kira felt the beat of his heart through the layers of their clothes, pounding in a steady beat. They tilted their heads, creating a perfect fit and her lips parted to accept his kiss. She nibbled on his lower lip between kisses. Knots flipped in her stomach, growing stronger with the strokes of his hands along her spine.
Addrick rolled on his back, pulling Kira with him. Both his warm, rough hands slid under her tunic. His nails scratched her skin but not hard enough to hurt or break flesh. Muscles tensed with his caresses. His lips left hers, moving along the soft underside of her jaw. Kira closed her eyes. Each kiss was softer than the last until they seemed to become one. She didn't fight when his lips moved to brush her clavicle, the tunic sliding off her shoulder.
"What the bloody hell?"
Kira pulled away at the sound of Ry's voice echoing in the quiet room. Warmth flushed her cheeks as her heart continued to pound. She slid off Addrick, pulling her tangled hair off her shoulder. Heat from his kisses still lingered on her neck. Addrick stood up and helped her to her feet. Her hands struggled to right her tunic as she looked at Ry standing in the door of Addrick's house. She recognized the Princess standing beside him, though her hair was now a flaming red. There was another Wilder with them, grinning at Kira. He turned without a word and left the house.
Kira returned her attention to Ry. Though he was still the boy she grew up with, he was a man she didn't recognize. A beard covered his baby smooth his cheeks. Black hair hung around his shoulders in thin strips, tangled in places. She smiled, thinking how much the messy look had to be annoying him. Ry prided himself on his appearance, always well groomed and never having more than a small shadow speckling his chin.
Tears rimmed her eyes as she stared at her best friend, alive and unharmed. "Ry! You're here!"
Joy fought through the hormones still yearning for Addrick's touch. Kira spread her arms, wanting to hug Ry. She returned his movements as he stepped toward her. He pushed past her without a smile or the hug she expected. One hand balled as he pulled it back. Time seemed to move in slow motion yet was too fast for her to stop him. Ry's fist moved from his side and connected with Addrick's eye. He crumpled in a heap, the eye reddening instantly. Addrick looked up, a growl rolling in his throat. Kira watched in horror as the Wilder bounded to his feet and pounced on Ry. Both men grunted as they rolled on the floor, punching each other.
Ry pulled his sword and attempted to regain his footing. Addrick tangled his legs around Ry's feet and knocked him back to the floor. The sword clanged against the wood. Another punch from Ry connected with Addrick's jaw.
"You son of a—" Ry's was interrupted by the push of Addrick's feet against his chest. He tumbled backwards. Addrick climbed to his feet, lightning circled one hand. Kira pinched the bridge of her nose, the sound of the electricity hitting against the wall made her want to scream.
"It's not my fault she wants a real man," Addrick said, wiping blood from his lips. "Ye couldn't handle her anyway, not like I can."
Kira shook her head and stomped her feet toward the men. She positioned herself between them. Her eyes narrowed at Ry. Both his hands were in tight fists, his eyes peered over her shoulder. Hands wrapped around her waist before Addrick pulled her closer. Kira growled and grabbed them, releasing their grip from her. One of her hands curled in a fist as she stepped toward Ry. He was still staring at Addrick when her fist connected with his jaw. Ry rubbed where she'd punched him, still bloodied from his fight with Addrick, and gazed up at her.
"He had his hands all over you!"
"Don't you dare act like you're jealous," she said, leaning over him. "I've known you most my life and not once have you ever shown any interest in me aside from friendship. We've had plenty of opportunities to get together, Rylanne, and neither of us has taken it. We're family. Nothing more."
"Him? Of all the guys you could've had, you pick him?"
"Aye, me. I gave her something ye never could."
"And you," she shouted, turning to face Addrick. His arms were crossed to his chest, one half of his mouth twisted upward. "I'll be damned if I'm going to stand here and let you play the same mind games with Ry that you did with Astrid. If you want to kiss me again, you'll wipe that smug grin off your face."
Addrick stopped smiling.
"I'm not your property, or Ry's. Neither of you get to dictate who I am or am not with." She leaned down and grabbed Ry's sword, pointing it toward Addrick's crotch. "If you two want to keep this up then please, whip them out right now and I'll cut them both off."
She looked back to Ry and held out her free hand. He sighed, but allowed her to help him to a stand.
"You can do better," he said.
"It's still not your decision to make and you don't know him." Her voice cracked. She dropped the sword and cupped both hands to his cheeks. "Now are you going to keep acting like an idiot or are you going to give me a hug? Gods help me, I've missed you."
He grinned and pulled her into him. She always had to stand on the tips of her toes to reach his neck, but his hugs were worth it. His head buried itself in the crook of her shoulder. Both hands gripped her tunic as he held her. She'd done her best not to worry about him, trusting Demitra to keep her eye on him and knowing he could hold his own in a sword fight, but having him holding her made all those feelings bubble to the surface. She couldn't hold back the sobs. It was good to have him in her arms again. Not the same as when Addrick held her, but still good.
"You're all right?" she asked through her tears.
He pulled back with a smile and nodded. "Yeah, I'm all right."
"Where's Demitra?" Addrick asked.
"We lost her, somewhere outside Halden," the Princess said
Kira turned to the Princess still standing near the door. Her hands played with the hem of the baggy tunic hanging over her. It was a far cry from her regal demeanor at the Coming of Age dance. Gone was the confidence and arrogance Kira had always attributed with her. Her eyes drooped and mud caked her normally dark tan skin. Sabina rubbed the back of her neck, the long sleeve of her tunic slid down to reveal a bracelet around her wrist. She jumped, quickly pulling the fabric to hide it, but not before Kira caught sight of the same interlocking spirals of the Guardian symbol.
"You're . . ."Kira touched a hand to her chest. Through her tunic she felt the steel of her necklace. Her thumb brushed over one of the jewels.
"Sabina is a Guardian like you," Ry said.
Kira looked at Ry. "You know about Guardians?"
"Demitra filled me in when I first saw Sabina's bracelet." Ry yawned. "There's more. There's so much more. I don't know where to begin."
Addrick shawled an arm over Kira's shoulder. "I guess we all have a lot to talk about. First ye both look like yer ready to collapse."
"We've had a rough couple of days. Wilders we were with were attacked by guards. Two of them helped us get away before the guards saw who we were. We haven't slept much the past few nights and what sleep we did have was with one eye open. And it's snowing like I've never seen before too. The Wilder almost couldn't find the symbol etched in the stone to the entrance of New Calandria."
"I assume ye had a fairy with ye then?" Addrick asked.
Ry nodded. "That's an impressive security system you have. When he led us to a stone dead end, I thought he'd taken a wrong turn somewhere. Then the stone melted away and suddenly there are trees and a dirt path leading us here. Did you know you have dragons by the entrance? Real living, fire breathing dragons."
Kira covered a laugh at how he rambled. She had to agree the entrance to New Calandria was impressive. When Addrick had led her to the same dead end, she thought the same thing as Ry. Then Addrick pointed out the symbol carved into the stone. Their symbol for New Calandria was a lot like the Guardian symbol, three interlocking spirals within a circle, but there were no jewels within the spirals and at the very center was an upside down triangle. Magic created the illusion of a wall, keeping outsiders away. New Calandria rested in a valley surrounded by the northern most mountain range of Morag which spreads into Altian. Another entrance was within Altian.
"Get some rest. There's plenty of time to talk. Ye can take me parent's room, Myra won't mind to give it up for the night, she can sleep elsewhere. I can get more blankets if ye don't wish to share a bed."
Ry followed Addrick upstairs. Sabina held back, her eyes scanned the house from floor to ceiling. She bit on her lower lip as she walked toward the mantle over the hearth. Kira watched her pick up a small statue of a unicorn. Her hands trailed from the tip of the horn to the wisps of the tail.
"Are you all right?" Kira asked. It was strange to have the Princess of Morag standing before her, looking as frumpy as common street trash. Even stranger to be addressing her in such a casual fashion. Kira didn't know if she should call her Your Highness or treat her like anyone else. "Ry hasn't been his usual—let's call it touchy—self has he?"
Sabina shook her head, putting the unicorn back on the mantle. Her fingers followed the red brick of the chimney, rubbing against a chipped crack in the corner. She turned to look at Kira. Thin lips stayed in a motionless line, her eyelids drooped. Kira wondered if she might collapse right there.
"No. He's almost a perfect gentleman with me. Though I can't say the same for a stable master's daughter and a Wilder girl, who knows how many others I don't know about. Has he always been like that?"
"Ry loves his women. Glad he behaved. I'd hate to see what would happen to him if he were caught deflowering the Princess."
"I'm not the Princess, not really. I don't know who I am anymore. This is that Wilders house?" She moved to a rocking chair sitting under the overhanging walkway of the upstairs. Her foot pressed against one of the legs, making the chair rock.
Kira scratched the back of her head. "His name is Addrick and yes, it's his house. What do you mean you're not the Princess?"
Sabina stopped rocking the chair and sat down. Her head tilted back. Both hands curved over the arm rests, brushing the rounded edges. For a while she stayed silent, staring at the wood beams of the upstairs, until her gaze found Kira. One hand freed the bracelet from under her sleeve. She played with the charm of the Guardian symbol.
"For what it's worth, I know you didn't kill the King. While I don't know him well, I don't think Ry has an evil bone in his body."
"He doesn't. If there's one person you want backing you, it's him. But that didn't answer my question. What do you mean you're not the Princess? You sure as hell look like her, except for the hair. And your jaw is rounder. . . and the mud . . . and well actually up close you really don't look like I thought you would."
The Princess chuckled and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. They reopened and looked to Kira. Blue shined from beneath her thick lashes. Kira had never seen eyes as blue as Sabina's before, they almost matched the sapphire gem of her necklace.
"I was kidnapped, I guess. When I was young. My mother . . . the Queen, almost lost the real Sabina. It made her go a little crazy and she stole me to replace her. All the details are still fuzzy as they come back to me, but I became Sabina's playmate after she recovered and then her stand in as she started doing public appearances." Sabina's feet pushed on the floor, making her rock. "Ry says I need to be more humble, stop acting like a Princess. That should be easy I suppose when you don't know who you are. Though it's not easy. All I want to do right now is snap at you to make me a bath." Sabina closed her eyes again, still rocking.
Kira laughed. "This makes no sense. Why would the Queen kidnap a Wilder child to be her daughter?"
There was no answer. Sabina had fallen asleep, the rocking chair slowed to a stop. Kira grabbed a blanket from the couch and covered her. Her fingers brushed the Guardian symbol on Sabina's wrist. Around her neck her own symbol burned. She pulled it out from under her tunic and looked at it. The final brass embedded in a spiral turned to a peridot gem.
"Three Guardians, threegems, and a Princess who isn't a Princess. I don't know what's going on, but Ihave a feeling something is about to begin."