CAIVANSomething smells great. It's something cooking, yes, but I've not smelt one like it in a long while, one strong enough to waken me from sleep.I swing my legs over the side of the bed, and sigh with relief when the crack of stiff muscles and bones reaches my ear. I sit up sharply, my ears picking up different sounds at once. Fire is burning with loud crackles, steel clashes on steel, men yell in shock and rage and fury…I slip on a shirt at hand and open the door as quietly as I can. The sounds come more clearly now, making me cringe in embarrassment.The strum of strings, banging on wood, laughter and cheers. The bar must have been filled up, as it is night outside and the rain has stopped falling. I just didn't expect them this much, given the tidings they must have heard, and the dark reception they had given us.I pause on my way down the stairs, and (very reluctantly) knock on the door next to mine. Camille opens up almost immediately, her green eyes shiny with must be exp
SAELYNAI can't sleep. I never hoped for it anyway, but it had taken me away without warning immediately I had touched the soft cot laid out for me. Then came the dreams, stabbing leaks of Cyran's consciousness coupled with mine that keep waking me up.The last one had been about Quain. He stood on the knoll, behind our cottage overlooking the village, staring down at me. And he was dead. I knew from the glazed look in his white eyes, and the blood that stained his jaw. But he's still there, like a statue, I'm moving. And then the spear flew in, it struck through his chest like he was no more than a rag doll. He dropped to the ground with an echoing thud, far from my reach, too far. 'You let this happen,' he said, blood dripping down his mouth, staining his clothes and the shaft, 'You let me die. You both did.'I take deep breaths of air as the dream replace in my head. It doesn't do much Quain still stares at me in the darkness of the tent, he's all around me, he's reaching for me wi
CAIVANI try not to think of Palma when Brien lights a pipe, and sits back on the bed, crossing her legs as she does so. She's completely naked, her red hair lies in scattered, jagged spikes around her nape, covering her breasts, covering the bite marks I had made, that still make me cringe with the thought of how close she had been to being bitten. Of course she would not know about that.She puffs a cloud of smoke and shakes her head, revealing one of two full, sinuous breasts. She catches my gaze, and she smiles wryly. "Wanting more of this, are we?" I grit my teeth against each other with an effort. She had said so herself as she led me upstairs an hour ago, she had said she was like a drug, addictive and very hard to let go off.And I found out the hard way, literally. I had taken her twice already, and I still feel a longing in my groin as she lies back on her elbows, parting her legs slightly. I had always wondered what an elf would taste like, seeing as they were not the kind
CYRANI jerk sharply to the touch of his hand on mine. 'Gylen?!' I gasp wildly. His face is vivid, clear and solid as stone…'It's just Ryon, I'm afraid.' He looks at me with a hint of amusement in his smile, that annoying expression he carries about is etched on his face like writing on stone. His hair is scattered, curly, now that they are unbound, but they lie neatly around his ears. It's admirable, the effortless beauty around this guy. In a flash, those dark blue eyes are brown and they are searching, bloody and scratched….I jerk back as he reaches out. 'You look positively hurt,' he says gently. I frown confusedly. 'Hurt? What do you mean, "Hurt"?' He tilts his head, narrowing his eyes as he does so. 'Not on the surface, my friend.' I turn away. The dreams try to come back in then, but I shut them out with the sounds of activity outside the tent. I focus on the shuffling feet, on the flapping clothes, on the sound of the whistling wind.When I open my eyes, I catch sigh
SAELYNA He means it. It's written in his eyes, I can almost feel it. They're alive. They survived Halden. I press my hands together and bring them to my mouth. My breath feels hot on my palm as I exhale deeply, but I don't allow the relief and excitement get too far. Mother used to say Varga exists to puncture holes in man's balloons. 'Do you know where that is, exactly?' I ask. He shakes his head. 'I told you, it was all blurry. It must be a town, one close to Halden, maybe. Which one do you think it is?'I shake my head. 'I don't know any towns near Halden, and all we've heard about is Tussel.' I pause, chewing on my lower lip thoughtfully. 'Are they in some kind of trouble?' 'No, they were not. Just in a room.' 'Like a cell?' It's his turn to pause, and I suddenly fear for the worst. 'Could be. I mean…it was all blurry! Couldn't see much, but I saw a window.' He looks up at me, his brows furrowing together as he does. 'What are you thinking?' I run a hand through my hair
Facts found SAELYNA"Report, there are three people holding it," said Haron, who had gathered all the information.I nodded my head slowly, already knowing that one of them had to be Prince Charles. "Who are the other two?" I asked Haron."The Queen and her youngest daughter, Princess Larasati." Haron whispered quietly and we quickly left the deserted corridor. We had to make sure there really weren't any humans around to overhear our conversation. If we knew that, we could plan something and organise a plan with the others. I told them to relax and keep watch before I gave them any orders or instructions.Meanwhile, I was still waiting for Caivan to return from the prince's place. She was still in the Prince's room talking about something. It had been about three hours since Caivan had come out at all. I didn't know what they were talking about, but the important thing was that it was now lunchtime and one of the royal servants told us to gather in the dining room, where several kin
SAELYNAI was glad the Wyverns liked our food. I told Veesa about the way the wyvern talked to me, including how it liked to be touched."It said it wanted to eat like me the next day." I was indeed bargaining with the wyvern."Vegetables, you mean?" asked Veesa, who got a quick nod from me."Look, I got them from the water fairy. But she didn't want them because she said they were mine, they're so sweet." I complimented, eating here with the Wyverns before joining the others at the dining table later."Saelyna," the call came from Caivan, he was standing quite far away from our position, knowing that the Wyverns didn't like the aura of a brutal wolf and a great fighter like Caivan."The food is ready, do you still want to be here?" Caivan looked at us as he spoke.Veesa got up immediately, she was about to leave because the position of watching and accompanying the Wyverns was the job of the elves who worked for Caivan to control those Wyverns with the other elves.I'll go first. I s
SAELYNAI was glad the Wyverns liked our food. I told Veesa about the way the wyvern talked to me, including how it liked to be touched."It said it wanted to eat like me the next day." I was indeed bargaining with the wyvern."Vegetables, you mean?" asked Veesa, who got a quick nod from me."Look, I got them from the water fairy. But she didn't want them because she said they were mine, they're so sweet." I complimented, eating here with the Wyverns before joining the others at the dining table later."Saelyna," the call came from Caivan, he was standing quite far away from our position, knowing that the Wyverns didn't like the aura of a brutal wolf and a great fighter like Caivan."The food is ready, do you still want to be here?" Caivan looked at us as he spoke.Veesa got up immediately, she was about to leave because the position of watching and accompanying the Wyverns was the job of the elves who worked for Caivan to control those Wyverns with the other elves.I'll go first. I s