Songbird (14 page)

Grateful, she studied him in the moonlight. He’d always been handsome, but now something about him was different. He carried a part of her magic in him. Not just from her healing, but from the bond they’d created between them in the grove.

Her grandmother had said the bond was necessary, but Teya still regretted what they had done without telling him. Their kiss had unlocked the full power between them, and Bran had felt it. He still might not comprehend all that it meant, but he deserved to know the truth.

She drank some of the grove water and leaned back against the tree beside Bran. The energy it had taken to heal him had sapped her strength and she needed to rest. Until they had both recovered, she hoped they were far enough from the road to stay hidden. Now all she had to worry about was Jesse, and how long it would take for him to pick up their trail. There was no doubt in her mind that he would come after her.

She closed her eyes on a sigh. At least Bran was alive and they had escaped. Her world had shattered when she thought he was dead. It was all her fault. With grim determination she vowed that no one would ever take advantage of her again. Next time, she wouldn’t hesitate to use her magic.

She’d never used it to harm anyone before, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t. An image of using the same dark notes on Jesse that he had used on her came into her mind. Only she could twist them to intensify the pain and make him suffer.

She could do the same thing to the king. She would enjoy singing to him again, and when he began to cringe, she wouldn’t stop until he screamed in agony. Deep down, she knew it was wrong to feel this way, but it was hard to control the burning anger.

She was tired of shutting these feelings away as if they didn’t exist. Why should someone like him be allowed to hurt others anyway? If it was wrong, then someone had to stop him. It might as well be her.

Tired all the way to her bones, she gave in to her yearning to be close to Bran. She cuddled up next to him and his warmth brought some humanity back into her angry heart. Exhaustion settled over her, and rather than face what she was becoming, she let herself drift into sleep and oblivion.

****

“Teya?”

She drowsily turned to her side and draped an arm across his chest. His chin brushed the top of her head and he pulled her closer. Early morning light filtered through the trees and her heart lifted to feel Bran’s strong heartbeat beneath her hand. He was alive and well, with no Jesse in sight. She sat up to take a good look at him. “Are you feeling better?”

“Yes, thanks to you.” He took a deep breath to test his ribs and grinned. “It’s nice to be able to breathe again.”

She smiled, grateful she had eased his pain, especially since it was her fault. “But can you stand? That’s the real test.”

“I don’t know. I kind of like it right where I am.” With a quick jerk, he pulled her down on top of him. She weakly protested with a laugh before relaxing against his chest. Her heart pounded furiously as their lips met in a soft kiss.

She knew it would raise questions she didn’t want to answer, but she was so grateful he was alive and well, that she couldn’t help herself. Without the lightning shock of the night before, their hearts and souls met in quiet greeting. The sheer intensity of feelings rolled over her and Teya pulled away, breathless and scared.

Their gazes met, and comprehension lit his eyes. “Will you tell me what this is all about? Why does it frighten you?”

She didn’t answer, so he continued. “I’ve never felt this way before. When I kiss you, it’s like we’re joined together somehow. Can you tell me what it means?”

“I’m not sure you’ll be glad to hear it.” She sat up and straightened her clothes, unable to look at him.

“Why? Because you don’t want it?”

His question caught her off-guard and she met his gaze. “It’s not a question of wanting. It’s just something that happened.” His face fell, and Teya knew she’d hurt him without meaning to.

“So these feelings I have don’t mean anything to you?” His voice sounded flat.

“Of course they do, but it’s more complicated than that.”

Bran sat up and took a deep breath. “Does this have something to do with the ceremony in the grove?”

“Yes,” she confessed. “I promise I’ll tell you everything, but right now, we’d probably better go.” She knew Bran wanted an explanation, but she wasn’t ready to lose him.

“Sometimes keeping a secret is lots worse than telling the truth.” As he slowly pushed to his feet, the tension ebbed between them. After he got his balance, he carefully stretched his arms and legs, testing his muscles for movement and strength. “Everything seems to be working,” he admitted with a lighter tone. “In fact, I may be better than I was before. Thank you.” 

Teya spoke quickly. “You’re welcome. At least my magic won’t wear off like
sym
.”

Bran’s eyes widened. “Thank goodness for that.”

“What should we do now?”

The first rays of sunlight cast long shadows through the trees. “It looks like we’ve slept the night away. Where are the horses?” At Teya’s shrug Bran continued. “We’d better find them and get going.”

In her worry for Bran, she had forgotten all about them. Thankfully, they hadn’t wandered far. She handed Bran the blankets, and they finished off one of the bags of grove water.

“Tell me about Jesse,” Bran asked. “Do you think he’ll come after you?”

“Yes. He’ll come. He’s a hunter. The king sent him to find me, and he won’t go back empty handed. What I don’t understand is how he tricked me. His magic seemed so real, not at all how I expected
sym
to feel. He told me he was a Kalorian, but how could he turn on his own people?” Just thinking about it curdled her stomach.

“Who knows? I guess it’s possible, if he has enough to gain like Korban.”

A terrible idea formed in Teya’s mind. “Jesse’s too young to be Korban, isn’t he?”

“I would think so,” Bran said, shrugging. “But whoever he is, he’s dangerous. We’ll have to change our plans. I’d like to get you to Braemar and safety, but first I think we should get back to the city and meet up with Jax. We need to find out what’s been going on in our absence.”

“There’s something else you should know,” Teya said. “Jesse wanted me to tell him how to get past the Destroyer. I think he knows about the grove water and what it can do. He also said he knew where the Kalorians were.”

“That would make sense if he’s a hunter,” Bran said. “We’re just lucky he didn’t have a
kundar
handy. If he had taken you anywhere else, I don’t think I would have found you in time.”

Bran froze and motioned for Teya to be still. Several moments passed in silence and Teya tensed, wondering if Jesse had already picked up their trail.

“I thought I heard something,” Bran whispered, his hand automatically reaching for the gun that wasn’t there. He swore softly, then urged Teya to mount her horse. “Stay close.”

Teya suppressed a shiver and followed Bran south where the trees soon thinned out, leaving them more exposed. The road came into view, and her spine tingled with foreboding. At that moment, the baying of a hound broke the stillness, joined by a chorus of several more.

“Damn!” Bran shouted. “It’s Jesse!”

Chapter 6

“We’ll make better time on the road,” Bran yelled, spurring his mount forward. As the first dark shape broke through the trees, they gained the road. Four men on horseback followed the dogs and Teya’s heart raced. She needed to figure out a way to stop them with her magic.

A loud crack pierced the air and a searing pain tore through Teya’s arm, throwing her forward. Gasping in shock, she fumbled with the reins, and lost hold of them. Her left arm went numb and hung loosely at her side while blood ran down her fingers.

Her horse slowed in the confusion, but she managed to move her arm to her lap and urged the horse forward. Pain replaced the numbness and she fought to stay in the saddle. Bran pulled up beside her, his face white with rage, and she realized she’d been shot with his gun.

“Keep going,” she yelled. “I’ll try and stop them with my magic.” Her arm burned in agony, but she could still use it, and she needed time to figure out what to do.

Instead, Bran handed her the horse’s reins and turned to face them. “I’m not leaving you.” He whipped his horse around, and charged forward, putting himself between her and their pursuers.

“No!” she shouted. But Bran ignored her. The men closed the distance between them, and another loud crack sent a wave of panic over her. She ducked, hearing the faint sound as the bullet whizzed past, and knew it was only a matter of time before one of them was hit again.

Teya did the only thing she could think of and sang, throwing wild tones to the sky. She twisted the elements against each other, calling them down until they burst into a blast of heat. She barely caught the energy with her song in time to direct it into the earth at the charging men. The ground shook with a loud boom, throwing earth and rock wildly into the air.

As the dust settled, one rider lay on the ground, and the others turned to gallop back the way they had come. Teya drew on the energy once more and flung it toward the retreating men. The ground behind them exploded, but they continued on, disappearing from sight. Anger raged over Teya. In reckless abandon, she started after them. She wanted this nightmare to end, even if it meant killing them all.

Somewhere within this red haze she heard her name. The searing urgency of Bran’s voice stopped her headlong rush, and she slowed to find Bran riding next to her. Dread radiated from him in waves through their bond, and she wondered what terrible thing had happened to cause it.

Concerned for him, the rage pouring through her heart subsided, and the cause of Bran’s distress became clear. He was afraid of her? The fight and anger went out of her in an instant. Breathless and weak, Teya pulled her horse to a stop.

The power of her song echoed through her body, causing her to tremble and shake. The energy in the air vibrated in little bursts around her. Now that the threat was gone, the pain in her arm intensified, and tears gathered in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

Without warning, quiet drops of rain mingled with her tears, accompanied by a low rumble above her. The once-blue sky now roiled with dark clouds that clashed with energy. Flashes of lightning and thunder boomed above her head and she cringed. What had she done?

Nearby, the fallen rider stared sightlessly into the sky. Blood covered his head and his hair was smoking in the rain. The scent of burning flesh turned her stomach into a queasy knot, and she twisted away to stifle a gag.

Bran dismounted to pick up his gun from the fallen man. Then took the reins from her and led both horses toward a stand of trees to get out of the rain. He dropped the reins and coaxed Teya down from her horse. His strong arms closed around her as she slid off, and steadied her as she stood.

Her legs trembled, and she tried to calm down by taking deep breaths. Instead, her face went stiff and spots danced before her eyes.

“Lean on me, Teya,” Bran said, sensing her turmoil. “Let me help you. We need to stop the bleeding before you faint.”

Teya glanced at her arm, noticing the blood dripping from her fingers, and the pulsing pain in her arm intensified. She focused on the pain, clearing her mind of the dead man’s eyes and a measure of sanity returned. Bran’s supporting touch calmed her racing heart and she relaxed into his arms.

Under the canopy of trees, Bran helped Teya sit on the ground and lean against a tree trunk. “I’ll get my medicine kit and be right back,” he said.

Teya closed her eyes and laid her head against the tree. Her loss of control frightened her, but it wasn’t as bad as the look on Bran’s face. She’d done what was necessary to stop them, but that didn’t make her a monster. Next time, she’d make sure her feelings were locked away so she wouldn’t lose control of her powers.

Bran returned and gently tore the fabric from her sleeve to check the wound. “This isn’t too bad,” he said, reassuringly. “It looks like the bullet passed right through, but it might hurt a little.”

He cleaned her arm and wrapped a bandage around it. “That should stop the bleeding for now, but we can’t stay. They might come back any minute. Can you ride?”

“Yes. Just give me a drink of grove water. That should help.”

Bran held the bag while she drank, then he put the supplies away. As he helped her stand, she stifled a moan. Grateful for the grove water, she took a deep breath and mounted her horse. Bran stayed at her side until she nodded, then mounted his horse.

As they moved out, Bran rode next to her and kept watch over his shoulder for pursuit. Teya clenched her teeth against the pain, but noticed it changing to a dull ache and credited the grove water.

Bran kept them at a steady pace, lengthening the distance between them and Jesse. An hour later and with no sign of pursuit, Bran relaxed his guard.

“I can’t believe they used my gun!” he growled. “They must be complete idiots! They could have killed you!”

His vehement declaration surprised her. She thought he would focus on what she had done instead of his gun. “What I did was a lot worse,” she managed. “I not only killed that man, but I let my emotions get away from me.”

“You did what you had to. I don’t think we could have escaped from them without your magic.”

“I had to do something,” she said, encouraged by his acceptance. “Especially since they were shooting at us, but it got out of hand. I almost lost it.” Tears gathered in her eyes, but she held them back. “You brought me back, but the way you looked at me, like I was some kind of a monster...”

“You just scared me,” Bran said. “Running after them like that. I wasn’t expecting it, and you looked…angry.”

“I don’t know what I was thinking. I was kind of lost in the moment. I probably would have tried to kill them all. Why did you stop me?”

“I didn’t want you to get hurt. Sometimes when someone gets out of control like that, they can do dangerous things.”

“You mean like a crazed monster, or wild animal? Is that why you were afraid of me?”

“I told you,” he said, his brows drawing together. “I was trying to protect you. I was afraid for you, not of you. I know you would never hurt me. And you’re not an animal, or a monster, so get that out of your head right now. Anyone who has gone through what you have would go a little crazy. I’m amazed at how balanced you are after enduring all those years of captivity.”

At least he was being honest, and she couldn’t argue with that. But she still didn’t know what to say. Should she thank him for stopping her? She wasn’t sure what was right anymore. If she couldn’t trust herself, then she shouldn’t use her powers.

“Jesse’s still back there,” Bran said. “And I don’t think he’s going to give up. Next time, he’ll be more careful. If we stay on this road, we should reach the city by nightfall. There’s an inn outside the gates where I keep a room. We can contact Jax from there and find out what’s been going on in our absence.”

Teya nodded, unable to speak. Without Bran she would be completely lost. She didn’t know what to do or where to go anymore, and she had just proven that her magic was deadly. It wasn’t the most comfortable thought, and she knew it was urgent that she learn how to master it. Not the magic so much as how she used it. That was the key, but doing that was easier said than done.

The rain slowed to a drizzle, and the clouds receded, letting soft rays of sunshine filter through. With a fresh breeze and the sun, her clothes soon dried, but every once in a while, she got lightheaded and had to fight to stay upright.

She glanced over her shoulder often, but never saw any sign of pursuit. Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Jesse was there, just out of sight, and it grated on her nerves. She wasn’t ready to face him. Her tenuous hold over her emotions frightened her too much.

They kept up a steady pace and made good time until they came to a small town. Bran insisted that they go around it and Teya agreed. By the time they got back to the main road, Bran worried that they’d lost their lead over Jesse.

From then on, Teya kept a steady watch behind them. As they traveled, the farms got closer together, and soon there were houses spread all over the countryside. With each one they skirted, they lost time and ran the risk of running into Jesse.

“We can’t keep going this way,” Bran said. “We’ll have to follow another route. Jesse will probably get ahead of us, but it can’t be helped. We’ll cut toward the mountains and follow the foothills until we’re closer to the city.”

“All right,” Teya agreed. Her arm throbbed and hunger pains stabbed her stomach, but she didn’t want to stop until Bran did, mostly because she didn’t want him to think she couldn’t keep up or take care of herself.

Bran had almost died for her, and was doing all he could to keep her safe. Guilt over her grandmother’s deception rose in burning intensity. He had trusted her, and she was using him. She had to tell him what it meant, but didn’t know how she could stand to see the hurt in his eyes.

The next few hours passed in a blur. The pain in her arm grew worse, but at least it kept her lucid. When they finally stopped, she could hardly wait to get off her horse. In her hurry, she stumbled and had to grab onto the saddle with her good arm to keep her knees from buckling.

“Wait, let me help you,” Bran said, hurrying to her side. 

“No, I’m fine. Just a little tired.” Bran ignored her, and slipped an arm around her waist, then carefully led her to a shady spot under a tree.

“I’m sorry I pushed you so hard. Here, drink this,” he ordered. She took the waterbag and forced herself to take a few slow drinks. Bran retrieved his medicine kit and knelt at her side. He took the bandage off and swore under his breath.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“This is worse than I thought.” Teya turned to look, but Bran stopped her. “Just lie back for a minute and I’ll clean it up.” He took the waterbag and lifted it, but she pulled away.

“No! Don’t use that. We’re almost out.”

“It might help... unless you can heal yourself.”

Teya didn’t have the energy to even think about it. “I’m sure I can do something later, after I’ve rested for a few minutes.”

“Fine,” Bran huffed. “While you’re resting, I’m washing this off. Try not to move.” He carefully poured a small amount of water over the wound, then rubbed it with a clean cloth. It burned at first, but after a minute she relaxed while coolness spread from the wound up her arm. Finally released from the steady, throbbing pain, she took a deep breath and silently slipped into sleep.

****

Bran cursed his stupidity. He should have checked her arm before now, but all he could think about was getting Teya away from Jesse. At least the grove water seemed to have an effect. It congealed when it came in contact with her broken skin.

The redness and swelling began to lessen while he rubbed it into the wound. He applied it to the back of her arm where the bullet had come out as well. As the tension left Teya’s body, her even breathing signaled that she slept.

Satisfied that it looked better, he wiped away the blood and wrapped her arm in a clean bandage. Letting out a deep sigh, he sat back against the tree and drank the last of the grove water. The sun sat low on the horizon, and he knew they were a couple of hours away from the city. An hour here meant Jesse might get there before them. He’d undoubtedly watch the road, but it couldn’t be helped. Teya needed to rest.

Bran glanced at her, his gaze traveling over her soft skin and full lips. She looked so peaceful and harmless in sleep, nothing like the woman who’d brought down lightning out of nowhere. There were more dimensions to her power than he realized. The way her power came out seemed to surprise her as much as him. His hair stood on end when the bolt flew over his head to hit the man closest to them.

Then Teya went charging after them. He was so surprised he almost didn’t catch her in time. He reacted more to the way she looked than what she did. Her eyes held a wild intensity that put him on edge, almost like she’d lost all ability to reason.

Something else bothered him even more. He had called to her, but it wasn’t until he’d shouted her name in his mind that she’d heard him. A chill ran down his arms just thinking about it. What was that all about? He knew it had something to do with the ceremony in the grove.

Ever since that kiss, he had an uncanny awareness of Teya. It was more than just his thoughts, almost like she occupied a place in the back of his mind. This awareness hadn’t been there until he kissed her, but he had felt a change between them after the ritual in the grove.