“Be brave. You will return to me,” she whispered before releasing me with a small push towards the massive Lysian who was surprisingly patient as he waited. I expected him to drag me away for taking too long, yet he did no such thing.
I did not reply to Edda as I took a small step towards the stranger. As I did, he moved into the hall, keeping the space between us from closing too quickly.
My ears felt as if they were filled with cotton. All sounds were muffled except for the pulsing of my heart, sending blood rushing to my head. My legs wobbled unsteadily beneath me. Tension tightened my throat.
I had no control over the events going on around me, the danger the Bavadrins had been placed in. If only I had acted sooner against Fraser or, at the very least, put up more of a challenge when he sentenced the Lysian to the lashings. Perhaps then the outcome would have been more favorable. Instead of having my world and everything I’ve ever known crumbling.
I tried to focus on my steps to keep upright. My head spun, feeling lightheaded.
Without saying goodbye, I left Edda in my room to follow the stranger.
The Lysian was careful not to touch me while leading me through the building. I was surprised by how he appeared to know his way around, taking care to avoid areas that were likely to becrowded or well-traveled. It was not until he led me to a side exit of the building that I finally found my voice and spoke to him.
“The people here, my people, what will happen to them?” I asked.
He paused, quickly scanning the surroundings before turning his full attention to me. “We will spare them, and if Lysians are attacked, then we were told to use nonlethal means, if possible.” He turned, considering the environment. “We need to keep moving.”
The Lysian told me what I wanted to hear. Was he just trying to subdue me, or was it the truth? There was no way for me to know.
He continued leading me over the terrain a short distance before we arrived at a huge dark gray horse. A long mane flowed down its side while its ears flickered towards the sound of our approach.
“From here we ride,” the Lysian said, holding out his hand to help me up.A hand that could grow claws and slice through flesh with too much ease.
A glance around let me know that there was no other horse. I was left with no choice but to consent.
Accepting his hand, I allowed him to help me onto the animal before he took a seat behind me. Goosebumps covered my flesh at the proximity. Never had I been so close to a Lysian before. I could literally feel the warmth coming off his skin as his arms moved around me to grab hold of the reins. Though he touched me as little as possible, it was an impossible situation. There was no way to share a horse without contact.
The trip to their Lysian territory was nearly a day’s journey. That was if one stopped for rest along the way. It quickly became apparent that Lysians did not have the same rest requirement as the Bavadrins. And their horses were insanely faster.
The sun rose and crossed the sky. We rode in silence, notstopping until we passed into their territory. I did not know how the horse didn’t die of exhaustion. Even their animals were superior to our own.
The Lysian relax just a fraction behind me when we passed onto their land. Once in the thick of their forest, he finally allowed us to stop and rest just as the sun began setting.
I hadn’t realized how cold it had gotten. Without the warmth of the stranger behind me, the icy air surrounded me in a chilly embrace before sinking into my bones.
My muscles groaned and shivered uselessly while the Lysian built a fire before he handed me a blanket. For his monstrous size, he continued to surprise me with his gentleness. It was not something we’d been told his kind had been known for.
Eventually, the Lysian settled down before the fire, but not before providing me with some water and bread. I shamelessly devoured every scrap of food and downed the water in record time. Wincing, I shifted into a more comfortable position. My entire body sore from riding for so long. Muscles and bones protested every movement as I settled down with the blanket wrapped snugly around me.
Several heartbeats went by while the Lysian and I simply stared at one another without saying a word. It was unnerving, having something like him silently watching me. His icy eyes felt cold even in the darkness. The way the firelight danced across the features of his face and the scar that ran from eyebrow to jaw had me tensing. Finally, when I thought he might try to attack me, he lay back and closed his eyes.
Relieved that his attention was no longer on me, I found the courage to finally speak.
“Why—why are you being kind to me?” I asked, for he was nothing like what I expected. He didn’t need to feed me or give me water, didn’t need to provide me with a blanket. I would have survived without those comforts, at least for a while.
His blue eyes slid open, and he angled his head my way. “Two reasons: First, my King asked it of me. Second, and most importantly, you helped my friend when he needed it. You were gentle and kind to a Lysian when you needn’t be. We are returning the favor. As long as you do not give me trouble, I do not need to be anything other than that.”
I shifted to better view him. “Your King was there? In the Bavadrin lands? In that battle?”
A sloppy smile softened the Lysian’s features until his teeth glinted in the firelight. And suddenly, the smile looked more intimidating than comforting. “You will speak to my King soon enough.” He responded to my eagerness instead of my questions.
“And Erik is your friend?”
“Indeed, he is.” The Lysian closed his eyes, a smile still splayed on his face.
For some reason, I felt better knowing that he was friends with Erik. It was senseless, for Erik brought destruction to my lands. Yet, the conjuror had spared Landin’s life. That act alone meant a great deal, despite what it cost me.
I glanced at the unfamiliar darkness. Never had I been in a territory not belonging to Bavadrins. Bare tree limbs reached for the sky while moonlight filtered through, creating an eerie sensation. Straining my eyes, I tried to see the forest beyond the warmth of the fire. My vision played tricks, or something was moving beyond.
