Breathe (The Destiny Series: Book 1) (22 page)

Three sets of eyes went wide with surprise. Carly never lost her temper so, she was always in control. Dearra didn’t know what to say, and Darius was just as lost. A strange flash of pain crossed Daniel’s face, and then was gone. His voice was softer when he spoke again. “I am sorry, Carly. Of course you can learn. I was wrong to say it that way. I…wait a moment.” Daniel disappeared into the private corner of the room where he slept, and ducked behind a screen. He reemerged a moment later carrying a simple leather sheath, from which he pulled a magnificent dagger, its blade shining like a mirror. Little sapphires and pearls adorned the carved handle. “This is just gathering dust. You may as well use it. It’s sharp; be careful not to cut yourself. Come on Darius. Bring the wolf. We’ll never get anything accomplished with those two around. How women can talk so much and say so little is beyond me.” Daniel started away, but he had to stop and roughly shove Darius to get his attention. “Darius! Come now! Ogle her later! We have work to do!”

Darius grinned, nodded goodbye to the two women, and followed in Daniel’s wake.

“Carly! I…I don’t know what to say. What has gotten into you?”

“I told you, Dearra. I’m tired of being discounted simply because of my size. I just want people to see me as more than a little burden. I can be so much more.”

“Well, you certainly got Daniel’s attention. That’s a very expensive apology you hold in your hands. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it before. It’s lovely.”

“Probably some trinket he picked up somewhere. But as long as it’s sharp, it will be good enough for me.”

Dearra didn’t think Carly appreciated the value of the gift. Daniel must have really felt badly about hurting Carly’s feelings. Dearra supposed Daniel probably looked upon Carly much like he looked on Dearra, almost as a daughter. Fathers could be quite gruff, but they usually had a soft spot that made them very doting and protective as well. Dearra took a bit of comfort in the fine weapon Carly held. You never could tell what would happen on a mission like the one on which they were about to go, and Carly having some small measure of defense was a very good thing.

“Well? Can we start now?” Carly said, apparently back in control of herself as she looked at Dearra expectantly.

Dearra smiled at her friend and said, “Let’s begin.”

“No! No! No! No! Carly, up! Keep the blade higher!” Dearra scolded yet again.

Carly turned calmly to her friend and waited for something a bit more constructive. But Darius said, “Dearra, maybe she isn’t ready for this yet. The two of you have only been practicing for three weeks,” before Dearra could say anything more.

“I’m sorry, Dearra. I know you are trying to get me ready, but Darius is just…well…sorry Darius, but you’re huge! I had enough trouble with Dearra, and she’s only five inches taller than I am. What am I supposed to do, stab you in the knee?”

Dearra shook her head. “The Breken aren’t likely to say, ‘Oh, sorry. Didn’t realize you were small and not very experienced. Go ahead and have another try.’ Do you want to end up dead? They’re killers, Carly!”

Dearra glanced at Darius and back to Carly. When she finally realized the weight of what she’d just said, angry tears of frustration welled in Dearra’s eyes, and she turned and ran from the hall. Carly stepped to follow her, but Darius laid a staying hand on her shoulder.

“I’ll go.”

“She didn’t mean it, Darius. She is just worried for me. I’m so little and useless, she thinks I’ll get hurt and ruin everything.”

Darius looked down at the tiny girl and then lowered himself to his knees so that he was looking up at her. Lifting her chin gently with his strong fingers, he made her meet his eyes. “First of all, Carly, I know she didn’t mean it. She has a fiery temper, we both know that. But her heart is tender, and she regrets hurting others. As far as you getting hurt? Of course we worry about that. Don’t you worry for us?”

“Well, yes, but that’s different.”

“How so? Hurt is hurt, right? She loves you, Carly. You are like her sister. That makes you my sister, too.”

“Thank you, Darius, that’s very sweet, but—”

“If you knew me better you wouldn’t think me sweet. You would be cursing your luck at having me for a brother. As far as your size, I have seen lions scamper in fear from an enraged ermine. The tiny stoat can match ferocity and tenacity with any animal, because it doesn’t know it’s small.”

Darius lifted Carly’s dagger hand. “This is your claw. This is your tooth. Learn to use it well. You already have the heart of a mighty warrior and the desire to do the right thing and protect those you love. Patience, Carly. Everything else is practice and patience. There is more to you than anyone realizes. Don’t be too quick to sell yourself short. What lies beneath the surface of the water is a mystery, is it not?”

Carly, couldn’t quite make out what he was trying to say, or maybe not say, but she could tell he was trying to help in his way, and she offered him a warm smile of gratitude.

Darius stood, gave her hand a supportive squeeze, and went in search of Dearra.

***

Carly looked down at the dagger she held, seeing it now as a mighty fang. She could do this, she told herself.

“Don’t tell me
you’ve
fallen for the handsome Breken, too?” Daniel said, startling her as he stepped from a shadowy corner.

“Of course not, don’t be foolish. He was just offering some encouragement,” Carly said.

“Why does this matter so much to you? You are just a girl. You have a lot of years ahead of you to gain these skills. It’s not necessary for you to practice so hard.”

“I am not just a girl! Dearra and I both reach eighteen this spring, the age of our adulthood! I am no longer a child, no matter what you may think!”

“I can see spending so much time with Dearra has had an effect on you. You never used to be so…spirited.”

“And what of it?” Carly snapped.

“I…I quite approve.” Daniel grinned at the stunned look on Carly’s face, and whistled to himself as he strolled out of the hall.

***

Darius knocked softly on Dearra’s door.

“Go away, Carly. Please! Just…go away.” Dearra said.

Ignoring her, Darius entered the room and closed the door behind him. She lay, face down, on her bed. He approached and sat beside her, rolling her over and scooping her into his arms.

Dearra wrapped both arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. “I didn’t mean it, Darius,” she said. “What I said. I…I…” and she broke off, unable to continue.

“Shhhh,” he soothed, stroking her back and whispering calming words in her ear. “Of course you meant it, Dearra. The Breken
are
killers. They
are
dangerous.
I
am dangerous. Of course you worry for your friend. You just need to be patient. She can’t learn everything at once, and you can’t teach her everything at once.”

“What if she doesn’t learn enough? What if something happens to her because I couldn’t help her?”

“If something happens, then it happens. No matter what, she already knows more now than she would have had you not tried. You have trained all of your life. Isn’t it fair to say that you still learn every day? Put your faith in her intelligence. She knows her limitations. Trust her to act wisely and cautiously. She won’t disappoint you.

“Now, what’s really bothering you? This latest outburst with Carly is just the last in a long line. You have been more and more agitated every day.”

Agitated? Agitated? That’s very generous of you, Darius. Where I come from we call it being a bi—

“Brin!” Darius said. “I think I can handle this on my own, but thanks for the offer of help.”

“No, he’s right. I have been a…not very nice. I don’t have a very good excuse, I’m afraid, except that every day seems to drag, and the nights are worse, and I don’t sleep, and I can’t seem to eat, and I have all of these thoughts, and—”

She misses you. You go off all day with Daniel, and never have any time for her. That’s what she thinks, anyway.

“Is that true, Dearra? You think I don’t have time for you? That I don’t want to be with you?”

Dearra nodded, but she wouldn’t look up.

“Don’t you know I want to be with you every moment of every day?” Darius scooped Dearra onto his lap and nuzzled her neck as he whispered, “I think about you constantly. I want nothing more than to touch you and run kisses along your temples and your perfect little ears and down your throat.”

To illustrate his point, he began to do just that, sending shivers through Dearra’s body. Her breath came in little gasps at the assault to her senses.

“If I could I would lock us away in your room each night and hold you in my arms until dawn comes. I never want to be away from you, Dearra. Each moment is like a year, and I think of nothing but your face, and the warmth of your touch.”

He pressed his lips to hers in a heated kiss that spread all the way to her toes.

When the kiss ended, he planted one more fleeting kiss on the tip of her nose, and pulled back to look into her eyes. He stroked her face, tucking a loose tendril of hair behind her ear.

Dearra sighed. “I wish you didn’t have to go.”

“I wish that too, Dearra. But you know that’s the way it has to be, at least for now. You certainly don’t make it any easier on me.”

“It’s not exactly all fun for me either! At least you and Daniel are making plans. I am left to wander cold halls and train alone!” Dearra said, her temper returning with a vengeance.

Instead of defending himself as Dearra had expected, Darius simply kissed her again, continued to hold her snuggly in his arms, and kept kissing her until he felt the tension ease from her body. When she went limp in his embrace he pulled slightly back from her to take a moment of his own before he could speak; the beating of his heart pounded in his ears and his breath was coming ragged and uneven. “I can see that I am not going to be able to leave you alone for quite as long anymore. It wouldn’t be fair to everyone to subject them to your fiery temper. Oh well,” he said with a sigh, “if it is a sacrifice I have to make, then I shall just have to endure it.”

“Sacrifice!” Dearra said and she swiped playfully at him.

Darius dumped her unceremoniously onto the bed, and slapped her bottom as he got to his feet. He laughed aloud. “No more kisses for you until you can better appreciate them!”

Dearra’s eyes turned sultry in what she hoped was a good attempt at flirtation. She formed a little pout on her lips as she spoke. “You wouldn’t
really
hold back your kisses, would you, Darius?”

Darius’s laugh froze in his throat at the look she gave him; his heart began to beat faster again.

Dearra! Stop that! Run, boy! Run, or you’ll never get away.

He didn’t run, but after a long pause, did manage to pull himself from her gaze and stumble from her room.

You, young lady, are a very dangerous girl. Have you no shame?

“Oh, Brin, I’m just practicing, you know, to see if I can get his attention.”

I would say you’ve mastered that skill. Now, behave yourself.

“I’m trying, Brin. I really am.”

Well, try harder!

Dearra’s eyes were drawn to the window. “Oh, Brin, look! It’s snowing!”

It’s winter, Dearra. That’s bound to happen from time to time.

“Don’t be such a wet blanket, Brin. Snow is lovely.” Dearra went to the window to get a better look at the sky, and a frown spread across her lips. “Well, actually, maybe not that lovely. That sky looks fierce. I think we may be in for quite a storm. It sure came on us quickly. I hope everyone found their way home in time.”

Dearra left the window and made her way back to the Great Hall to see if anyone had come to the keep in search of shelter. If people hadn’t been able to make it to their homes it would be a very busy and crowded night, indeed. She was already making mental lists of what might be needed.

People bustled about closing massive shutters, stoking fires, and bringing steaming drinks to warm those who had been caught outside. Laughter rang out as Hugh, Lord of Maj, walked in, covered head to toe in a powder of snow.

“What happened, Father? Were you playing?” Dearra giggled. She set about brushing the snow from her father.

“Certainly not! I was merely helping to drag one of the sails up from the beach to get it under some cover.”

“And?”

“And I slipped and rolled down the hill. There! Is your curiosity satisfied now, daughter?”

“Almost. Did you happen to make a snow fairy when you got to the bottom? I mean, if you were going to do it, you may as well do it right.” Dearra broke into more peals of laughter and was soon joined by her father. She had Hugh sit close to the fire and brought a large mug filled with steaming tea to warm him.

The last stragglers came drifting in. Animals had been secured in barns, windows barred against the storm, and now all that remained was to wait it out. The people of Maj knew that weather was a fickle thing, and it did no good to fight against it. Better to ride it out as best you could, and then deal with the damage when all was done. Laughter filled the crowded hall, as people joked, told stories or played games to entertain the children.

Darius recognized the woman who approached him as Royce’s mother. He felt ashamed he could not recall her name, seeing as he’d spent so much time with her son. He smiled at her as she approached. He couldn’t remember her ever coming to speak to him before. She had accepted him well enough, he supposed, but always with a wary eye, as if she expected him to snap at any moment and become the Breken monster she knew him to be. She did not return the smile, but came to a stop directly in front of him.

“Where is my son?” she said, her voice flat and lifeless. Her hands trembled. Darius could feel the tension radiating from her.

Darius looked around, and for the first time realized that Reo and Royce were nowhere to be found. He had, as usual, let the two go off together to play. A little bubble of panic surfaced as the possibilities took hold in his mind.

Dearra approached to stand beside Darius. “What is it, Catherine?”

Catherine’s voice was unnaturally cold as she spoke. “Royce. He’s missing. William and I have looked everywhere. He’s out in the storm, I know it.”

“I’m sure we have just missed him,” Dearra said. “He is probably in the barracks, listening to the warriors telling stories.”

“No!” Catherine’s voice came out in a terrible shriek of pain and anger, and the room fell silent “You! You did this! You and your filthy animal! He follows you around, hanging on your every word, and you use him as a servant to care for the wolf. You give no thought to my son! If he dies, I will kill you myself!” Catherine reached out and slapped the proud Breken warrior with all the force she could manage, then crumpled to the stone floor and wept.

Dearra dropped down next to the sobbing Catherine and tried to comfort her.

Darius spoke gently to the terrified mother. “I will find him. I will bring him back to you, I swear it.”

Catherine looked up, tears of grief streaming down her face. “If you don’t return with my child, then don’t return at all.”

***

Darius swept up the stairs to his room where he dug through his few possessions, trying, frantically, to find clothing that would offer some protection from the cold. He was about to give up and brave the weather under the one, meager cape he had, when a heavily furred robe landed on the bed beside him. He looked over his shoulder to see Daniel, wearing a similar coat. “I thank you for the warm clothing, Weapons Master, but your company I can do without. This is for me to do alone.”