Capture of a Heart (10 page)

Shoraya had left a lock of her hair with one of the golden rings around it.

Gavenas stared at the item, afraid to touch it for countless moments. It wasn’t as if he feared it would disappear, but instead he was worried he might. Just observing the dark-brown strands so neatly twisted, he worried he might turn to ash. His heart felt like stone, too heavy for his chest to bear before he realized the gift’s true potential.

Carefully, he reached out and took the lock in hand and smiled.

She had probably just intended to leave him a part of her, something to remember her by, but she had left much more without realizing it.

Gavenas’s sadness grew lighter, his will returning slowly but surely. With such a physical component, he could do much. She was still with him, although she had undoubtedly gone deep into the forest and was moving farther away from him with every second.

He took the lock of hair and wrapped it around his wrist before coming to his feet with renewed purpose, as she had ensured that he could always be with her!

Chapter Fifteen

Shoraya recalled the lay of the forest from Gavenas’s descriptions; she followed the length of the river, using its flow to bring her to the edges of the forest, where trees gave way to the first signs of farmers’ fields and the crests of civilization. With her packs slung over her back, Shoraya kept to the outskirts of the forest for as long as she could, as if she could retain the warmth it had provided so graciously for her over the past month.

She had scrolls, maps to guide her through the emerald hills that eventually gave way to drier patches of land and the start of the savanna that would eventually lead her to the desert, but consulted them rarely, preferring to search every rock, scuttling creature, and swaying plant for distractions.

Her heart was heavy as she thought back on the faeyanin she had left without so much as a good-bye. She refused to imagine him lamenting her loss for long, just as she assumed that the loneliness haunting her would pass. Yet with every mile she covered, the pain seemed no less poignant. Nights spent among the stars were nights spent shivering and missing his warmth. Days on the hard terrain were spent without seeing the sun shine in his hair and without enjoying his meals.

But Shoraya did not waver. Each day was spent either incorporating a new lesson or practicing another, and eventually there came to be a routine that did help somewhat with her quandary. Her day consisted of hours of traveling followed by an hour or two of training, a light, simple meal—anything extravagant would only lead to thoughts of Gavenas—and then hunkering down for sleep.

It was a simple routine and one that Shoraya had learned to find comfort in as it made the days pass more easily.

The night before, she had just reached the savanna. There were a few trees and tall grasses, but not much of the scenery was green. Instead the colors of the land had been harvest yellows and deep browns, all of which reminded her of Gavenas’s beautiful locks. She had gone to bed early that night, entertaining thoughts of the visit she would make. How she would appear before her faeyanin, strong and independent, wiser with a knowledge of wonders that might even impress him. They would talk, she would be at his side as he cooked for them, and then…then they would have all night together. Several. Her visit would not be a short one, she dreamed deeply.

It was the whinny of a steed that shook her from the warmth of Gavenas’s gifted cloak and the depth of her fantasy. It was not an odd sound by itself, but when the brethren of the horse began to make their presence known as well, Shoraya stirred. Having made her modest camp beside a large skeleton tree, low-hanging but extremely broad, Shoraya had some cover due to the crisp bone-white roots that bunched up like pale bushes around it.

The animals and their riders were about a half mile from where she laid her head, hundreds of them, side by side, blotting out the horizon. Instead of one standard, there were several, many of which she recognized.

How had they found her? Had they known where she was going, or, she dreaded, had they discovered Gavenas?

Shoraya came to her feet, the lethargy of slumber easily shrugged away as she took measure of her surroundings in hope for some escape. She was spared little time to wonder as the contingent began to press forward.

Rather than a lone rider coming forward this time, the entire force began to approach. A familiar face stood out within the front line.

“You will not escape us again,” Tarek said with a grimace upon his unprotected face. He nodded to the male who rode at his right. Dressed in lavish silk robes, with ornate piles of precious jewelry upon his breast, the man who rode beside Tarek had the obvious look of a magic user. “You will not escape this time, nor will you be free to teach your arts to other nations.”

“Is that what you fear?” Shoraya sighed deeply at the heightened air of paranoia. “How can I teach what I myself have not mastered?”

Tarek brought his steed to a stop less than fifty yards away. “Oh, you have honed your skills well enough, fighting…forgery too, perhaps. That metal was exceptional.”

Shoraya snapped at his attempt at compliment, if that was what it was. A scan of his men revealed that not only had he brought a sorcerer along with his arms, but nets and chains adorned the saddles of some of the soldiers. “You tried to take my life, and you would only try to again.”

“Because you are stubborn and selfish, female. We would have given you riches untold—”

“But not my freedom.” The words were a lament, not a question as Shoraya thought of the gift that Gavenas had given her. While he may have captured her heart, he had never sought to take her independence, and for that, she ached with remembrance of him.

Gavenas had been and was the only captor she could allow.

Tarek cocked his head and gave a scowl. “Freedom. Such a complex term.”

“Aye. It is complex,” Shoraya agreed, realizing that she would have no options other than battle outside of death. Capture by Tarek and his men was no choice. “So come.”

Confrontation had never been a strong suit of hers, and while the idea of taking on upwards of a hundred men did have its merits as a test, Shoraya was not so certain of her skills as she reached down and retrieved the shoulder harness which safely and securely carried her sheathed blades. She slipped her arms through the straps and settled the scabbards behind her before turning to discover the riders just a few feet away from the skeleton tree’s roots. Eyes keen ahead, she held her ground with the tree at her back while the veritable army came forth to encircle her position around the tree.

She closed her eyes, hoping to calm her nerves for the fight ahead, to steady her resolve to decline any offer that would keep her from her lessons and allow her the freedom to wander as she pleased; however, her attempt was broken by a loud, angry, rumbling sound.

The ground beneath her began to shudder fitfully, the jarring motions so strong that she could barely hold her balance. Her eyes snapped open as she witnessed the fear of the steeds also taken aback by the quaking beneath their hooves. The ground roared as dust and dirt were spat upward in the steadily growing violence of the land shift. Riders were thrown off saddles, their armor loud and ringing as they struck the ground. Many held their seats tightly, but they too seemed caught off guard.

Shoraya braced herself in a wide stance, wondering about her sudden fortune. In the cacophony she saw her opportunity to run, but a sudden swath of emerald-green grass springing up from the dry palette of the savanna held her riveted.

What had begun as a small patch of grass at the border of the skeleton tree roots spread out quickly. Beneath the steeds and riders, the landscape transformed all around her and the tree that had her back, lush, tall, and swaying. Among the fronds, new branches and flowers began to emerge, tree saplings appeared, growing far faster than nature could have encouraged. It was a wondrous sight made all the more spectacular as one young tree grew faster, larger, and more fluidly than all the others directly before her.

All attention was on the twisting, spiraling Sky Embracer, the largest tree in all the land. It was a stout type of tree. At mid-maturity, one could easily be eighty feet around in circumference. Older trees were known to be two hundred feet or more in width. They were indigenous to the forests and jungles, specifically; there were several in Gavenas’s forest.

Shoraya looked up as the tree swelled to loom over her modest covering. The soldiers too looked skyward at the swaying branches of the great tree, so graceful, limbs full of remarkable, flexible life.

This was no ordinary tree swaying to a nonexistent breeze, and all that witnessed its growth were humbled as riderless mounts fled, and those with riders whinnied and bucked against their masters in an effort to get away from the monolith.

It was a scene of chaos, of noise and confusion. Shoraya seemed to be the least of their concerns as captains shouted for order and looked for reason. Their attempts went unheard and were not obeyed; however, the sound of a booming voice that seemed to emanate not solely from the tree but from the very air itself brought everyone and everything to a frozen halt.

“Warriors. Sorcerer. All of you,” came the familiar voice, familiar to Shoraya but only barely. She had never heard Gavenas’s tone so powerful, so filled with fury and loud enough to rattle bone.

“If you value your lives, you will return to your kingdoms and leave this woman be,” he continued. “Go back to your king, your rulers, and carry this message with you. This blade dancer is protected by the strength of my will. Any who seek to harm, to capture, or to disturb her path should beware my wrath, for she is under my protection, and I can be quite unkind when angered.”

“I have no fear of you, sorcerer, and I…I have my own magic worker,” snarled Tarek. “I found her now, and I will find her again.”

The man who rode beside Tarek looked to be shaken just as much by the unease of his own steed as by the sound of Gavenas’s voice. His complexion was several shades paler than before as well as he nervously dismounted.

Shoraya knew that it was a poor idea for Tarek’s sorcerer to lower his feet to the ground, and he too learned as his horse reared and bolted away. The man stood gaping at first, then began to fumble in his robes as if looking for a weapon.

He did not have long to search as the tree above her began to shake. Its leaves began to shiver. They flew off limbs in quantities that seemed far too abundant for even such a giant to possess. A great wind like the hands of a sculptor formed the leaves into a funnel, which traveled directly to the fumbling sorcerer.

Where a man had once stood in the process of revealing some sigil or wand became a blur as the funnel of leaves descended over him.

Shoraya’s heart stopped at the sight of the man encased in a whirlwind of foliage. While she wished to be left alone, she hadn’t wished harm on either Tarek or his men. But when the emerald tornado ceased, she exhaled.

Gone were the man’s every layer of clothing and every piece of metal that had adorned him. He was alive, however, much to the shock of everyone who witnessed the spectacle.

“You could never enlist, never command the power strong enough to challenge me. And should I whisper to the mountains that birthed her, your precious city would be razed within a day. I give you this last warning again.” Gavenas’s voice rang out loud as the ground shuddered softly and the wind picked up anew. “Just because you have forgotten the majesty of the elements, do not hound those who have not. Or you will not be fortunate.”

One brave soul withdrew his broadsword from its scabbard, the sound drawing the attention of not only Shoraya.

She bristled at the glint of steel, wondering if Tarek and the others would be so brave so soon after Gavenas’s warning, but her fears were quickly allayed. Metal sharp and hard went from shimmering gray to fiery red. The solider dropped the weapon as it was swiftly transmuted to a smoldering, misshapen mess.

“Your orders are not worth your lives, and a man’s need to possess is not worth the cost of a unique spirit. If you persist,” Gavenas announced, “you will be destroyed.”

Tarek stood gaping, still seated in his saddle with a look of forced resignation. Whether he would continue his pursuit was unknown to her, but she did know that it would not be soon. His men were scattered, several of them having withdrawn to find their mounts, others clearly frightened of the Sky Embracer looming so tall. Their magic user was a trembling wreck, and all appeared reverent.

Shoraya smiled so greatly her cheeks ached. While she was leagues away from Gavenas’s forest and had left him without so much as a good-bye, his protection had never seemed far away. To see proof of his guardianship was both endearing and empowering at the same time. He was ensuring her freedom, accompanying her in more than just dreams.

Without a thought for the paralyzed warriors surrounding her, Shoraya relaxed. She turned her back to them and went to retrieve her packs. From one she pulled out a thick strip of jerky for her breakfast and then slung the bags over her shoulder. It was time for her to move on.

She looked up into the tall branches of the tree and was showered by green-gold petals that reminded her of Gavenas’s locks. Closing her eyes, she could so vividly see his face while she imagined the leaves as his fingertips, skirting shyly over her face and shoulders.

“You may continue your journey.” The tone of his voice was as a small, warm breeze.

“Should I?” she asked, unsure of anything but the love she felt just then. The urge to return to Gavenas burned strong, unsettling her in waves. One word from him and she would return. One word, and she would welcome the guard of his forest and the care of his attention. Anxious for his answer, she waited, lost for the hundredth time in her wandering.

“I am with you, Shoraya. Do not be anxious. You have me always. Fulfill your dreams, and I will be here for you to return and share them.”

She felt dizzy as she absorbed his every word. Her legs trembled as her emotions flared to impractical madness, and yet she understood. Even as cool tears teased the corners of her eyes, she knew what needed to be done, and she was oddly pleased with the resolution.