what?”
She didn't deign to answer, but her bold gaze raised a furious blush in Cedric's cheeks. He turned back to the door, searching for Lianna.
“Don't worry,” the girl continued. “If she wants you, she can have you. I prefer blonds.”
Something about the girl charmed and irritated Cedric at the same time. “I'm nearly blond,” he blurted and then flushed. It sounded as if he'd issued a challenge he hadn't intended.
He saw the acceptance of that challenge in the flash of playfulness that lit her dark eyes. “All right, then. Blond and free from prison.”
“If all goes well with my lady, that will soon not be an issue, either.” He rubbed his palm over the bristles that covered his chin. The guards hadn't brought him a razor for the last two days. “What is your name?”
Cedric wished he could read her thoughts, but her eyes were hooded. After a moment, she answered, “Ashleen.”
“Ashleen,” Cedric repeated. “It means Dream Weaver in the old language.”
Pain lit her expression, and she dropped her gaze. “Aye, well,” she paused, “I am no one's dream.”
Cedric opened his mouth to respond, but stopped at the sound of booted feet approaching. Lianna drew near with the jailer. The jailer unlocked the door with a rattle. Lianna didn't enter. As soon as the door was open, she motioned Cedric into the freedom beyond the exit. “This way,” she said quietly.
Cedric glanced at the jailer's eyes as he passed him. They stared beyond him, void, blank, unaware. Lianna closed the door after Ashleen had exited. The jailer carefully locked the door again and turned toward the Commanders' tent.
Lianna pointed toward the edge of the camp. “Hurry. Quickly.” Her voice was low and intense.
“What of Kinna?” Cedric asked, but Lianna gripped his arm, pulling him along.
Through the darkness, they ran, avoiding lanterns and torches, careful to stay within the deeper shadows. At last, they reached the edge of the camp, surging into the quiet foothills of the Rues that edged the Plains.
Lianna halted them. Cedric glanced back at the flickering lights of the army that spread across the Forgotten Plains. Relief flooded him, followed by urgency. “I must find Kinna, now. She was to come release me from the gaol.” He searched the darkness, seeing nothing. Anxiety sprouted inside of him.
“Have you no thanks for me?” Lianna asked, her pout obvious.
Cedric blinked, confused. “My apologies, my lady. I owe you a great debt. Thank you.”
“Fulfill it, then, Cedric. Return with me to Lismaria.”
Cedric nodded. “I plan to. But first, I must find my sister. I wish to take her with me if she desires it.”
Lianna approached him, and Cedric's lungs emptied as the Stars shone across her face. She was stunning. “It's been so long, Cedric.” Slowly, her hands touched his chest, sliding down his tunic, tracing his arms. She walked in a circle around him. Her touch lingered on his shoulders, his neck, his spine. He blushed, wondering what Ashleen thought of all this.
Suddenly, shackles surrounded Cedric's wrists, tight cold metal. The steel chafed his skin where they bound his hands together in front of him.
Cedric sucked in his breath, jerking and struggling, but the shackles held fast. “Lianna!” he cried.
“I'm sorry, Cedric.” Her voice came from lengths away. “I would have preferred that you come of your own free will. But I am determined to leave without hindrances.” A cruel edge sharpened her voice.
“Lianna, let me go!” He twisted to see her pale, gold hair white in the moonlight, her face closed and expressionless. “Please!”
She only nodded to Ashleen. “Bring him.” She walked into the darkness, and Ashleen moved close, lightly grasping Cedric's straining upper arm.
Cedric stared, panicked, at Lianna before he glanced down into Ashleen's eyes. Pity darkened her expression. “I'm sorry,” she whispered as she nudged him forward. “I didn't know what she planned to
She didn't deign to answer, but her bold gaze raised a furious blush in Cedric's cheeks. He turned back to the door, searching for Lianna.
“Don't worry,” the girl continued. “If she wants you, she can have you. I prefer blonds.”
Something about the girl charmed and irritated Cedric at the same time. “I'm nearly blond,” he blurted and then flushed. It sounded as if he'd issued a challenge he hadn't intended.
He saw the acceptance of that challenge in the flash of playfulness that lit her dark eyes. “All right, then. Blond and free from prison.”
“If all goes well with my lady, that will soon not be an issue, either.” He rubbed his palm over the bristles that covered his chin. The guards hadn't brought him a razor for the last two days. “What is your name?”
Cedric wished he could read her thoughts, but her eyes were hooded. After a moment, she answered, “Ashleen.”
“Ashleen,” Cedric repeated. “It means Dream Weaver in the old language.”
Pain lit her expression, and she dropped her gaze. “Aye, well,” she paused, “I am no one's dream.”
Cedric opened his mouth to respond, but stopped at the sound of booted feet approaching. Lianna drew near with the jailer. The jailer unlocked the door with a rattle. Lianna didn't enter. As soon as the door was open, she motioned Cedric into the freedom beyond the exit. “This way,” she said quietly.
Cedric glanced at the jailer's eyes as he passed him. They stared beyond him, void, blank, unaware. Lianna closed the door after Ashleen had exited. The jailer carefully locked the door again and turned toward the Commanders' tent.
Lianna pointed toward the edge of the camp. “Hurry. Quickly.” Her voice was low and intense.
“What of Kinna?” Cedric asked, but Lianna gripped his arm, pulling him along.
Through the darkness, they ran, avoiding lanterns and torches, careful to stay within the deeper shadows. At last, they reached the edge of the camp, surging into the quiet foothills of the Rues that edged the Plains.
Lianna halted them. Cedric glanced back at the flickering lights of the army that spread across the Forgotten Plains. Relief flooded him, followed by urgency. “I must find Kinna, now. She was to come release me from the gaol.” He searched the darkness, seeing nothing. Anxiety sprouted inside of him.
“Have you no thanks for me?” Lianna asked, her pout obvious.
Cedric blinked, confused. “My apologies, my lady. I owe you a great debt. Thank you.”
“Fulfill it, then, Cedric. Return with me to Lismaria.”
Cedric nodded. “I plan to. But first, I must find my sister. I wish to take her with me if she desires it.”
Lianna approached him, and Cedric's lungs emptied as the Stars shone across her face. She was stunning. “It's been so long, Cedric.” Slowly, her hands touched his chest, sliding down his tunic, tracing his arms. She walked in a circle around him. Her touch lingered on his shoulders, his neck, his spine. He blushed, wondering what Ashleen thought of all this.
Suddenly, shackles surrounded Cedric's wrists, tight cold metal. The steel chafed his skin where they bound his hands together in front of him.
Cedric sucked in his breath, jerking and struggling, but the shackles held fast. “Lianna!” he cried.
“I'm sorry, Cedric.” Her voice came from lengths away. “I would have preferred that you come of your own free will. But I am determined to leave without hindrances.” A cruel edge sharpened her voice.
“Lianna, let me go!” He twisted to see her pale, gold hair white in the moonlight, her face closed and expressionless. “Please!”
She only nodded to Ashleen. “Bring him.” She walked into the darkness, and Ashleen moved close, lightly grasping Cedric's straining upper arm.
Cedric stared, panicked, at Lianna before he glanced down into Ashleen's eyes. Pity darkened her expression. “I'm sorry,” she whispered as she nudged him forward. “I didn't know what she planned to
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