body was found.
The pain in his leg grew worse with every step, and Kel knew he didn’t have long before he’d be too weak to fight. His had to get to Lily. Her healing gift was the only chance he had.
***
CHAPTER 7
Lily sat curled in the boughs of the oak tree, waiting and watching the moon’s progress with dread. The larger of the two moons was much higher in the sky now, and there was still no sign of Kel. He should have found her by now.
Something had gone wrong.
His last orders had been to stay in the tree and wait for him until the moon hit its apex, so there was nothing she could do. The Duke had ordered her to obey Kel until sunup, and she could not refuse his command. That thought went swirling around and around in her mind like bits of dandelion fluff caught in a breeze, dancing just out of reach. There was something she was missing.
A wolf howled somewhere in the distance, startling Lily out of her musings. She flew up a few feet to look for the source of the noise without thinking about what she was doing, and that’s when it hit her. The missing piece of logic. If Kel had gotten the ring away from Camford then she was no longer bound to obey either of their commands. Since she had disobeyed Kel by leaving the oak tree, his orders were clearly no longer in affect.
Camford was not her master. She was free.
Euphoria banished her worries and Lily spun in midair, notes of pure joy rising from her throat as she sang in elation. The glow surrounding her flared and brightened as she stretched her wings and flew. The wind blew cool against her bare skin, sending goose flesh rippling down her arms, but she didn’t care. Kel had fulfilled his vow to her. He’d given her back her freedom.
The wolf howled again and this time several others joined in.
Kel.
Lily didn’t know why the carnivores’ haunting song made her think of the handsome warrior, but once she remembered him, she knew what needed to be done. She doused the glow that flowed around her and turned back toward the army encampment. Somewhere out there was the man who had risked his life to free her. If he was in trouble, it was because of her. Lily knew she had to find him.
As it turned out, the wolves had already found him. Lily followed the road back toward the camp, flying high enough she could scan the land in all directions. She could see nearly as well by moonlight as she could in full daylight, which made it possible for her to see the gleam of white and silver fur as the wolves moved through the trees below. They were hunting something.
Or someone.
Lily heard a horse whinny in challenge and she dove into the forest, dodging branches and tree trunks as she flew toward the sound. Her heart was pounding, and the bitter taste of fear clogged her throat as she finally spotted Kel. He was slumped over the neck of his horse, barely moving. His sword was gripped loosely in one hand, though she could see he no longer had the strength to wield it. All around him the wolves were watching, waiting for the last of his strength to fail. Lily reclaimed her larger form and shrieked in fury as she dove into the center of the small clearing. She used her light as a weapon, letting it flare bright and hot as she hovered just above Kel.
The wolves retreated to the shadows, and Lily flew to the horse’s head. The animal snorted, ears flat against its skull and one hoof lifted in warning. Lily huffed in frustration at the delay and flicked her fingers. “We don’t have time for this.”
The gesture sent tiny cloud of glittering dust straight at the horse’s muzzle. The moment they touched flesh the creature dropped his head and whickered softly. His steel-shod hoof dropped back to the ground and Lily sighed in relief. “We have to get him out of here.”
She grabbed a hold of the dangling reins and flew ahead, guiding the horse and his precious cargo out of the clearing before the wolves grew bold enough to challenge them. They had only managed
The pain in his leg grew worse with every step, and Kel knew he didn’t have long before he’d be too weak to fight. His had to get to Lily. Her healing gift was the only chance he had.
***
CHAPTER 7
Lily sat curled in the boughs of the oak tree, waiting and watching the moon’s progress with dread. The larger of the two moons was much higher in the sky now, and there was still no sign of Kel. He should have found her by now.
Something had gone wrong.
His last orders had been to stay in the tree and wait for him until the moon hit its apex, so there was nothing she could do. The Duke had ordered her to obey Kel until sunup, and she could not refuse his command. That thought went swirling around and around in her mind like bits of dandelion fluff caught in a breeze, dancing just out of reach. There was something she was missing.
A wolf howled somewhere in the distance, startling Lily out of her musings. She flew up a few feet to look for the source of the noise without thinking about what she was doing, and that’s when it hit her. The missing piece of logic. If Kel had gotten the ring away from Camford then she was no longer bound to obey either of their commands. Since she had disobeyed Kel by leaving the oak tree, his orders were clearly no longer in affect.
Camford was not her master. She was free.
Euphoria banished her worries and Lily spun in midair, notes of pure joy rising from her throat as she sang in elation. The glow surrounding her flared and brightened as she stretched her wings and flew. The wind blew cool against her bare skin, sending goose flesh rippling down her arms, but she didn’t care. Kel had fulfilled his vow to her. He’d given her back her freedom.
The wolf howled again and this time several others joined in.
Kel.
Lily didn’t know why the carnivores’ haunting song made her think of the handsome warrior, but once she remembered him, she knew what needed to be done. She doused the glow that flowed around her and turned back toward the army encampment. Somewhere out there was the man who had risked his life to free her. If he was in trouble, it was because of her. Lily knew she had to find him.
As it turned out, the wolves had already found him. Lily followed the road back toward the camp, flying high enough she could scan the land in all directions. She could see nearly as well by moonlight as she could in full daylight, which made it possible for her to see the gleam of white and silver fur as the wolves moved through the trees below. They were hunting something.
Or someone.
Lily heard a horse whinny in challenge and she dove into the forest, dodging branches and tree trunks as she flew toward the sound. Her heart was pounding, and the bitter taste of fear clogged her throat as she finally spotted Kel. He was slumped over the neck of his horse, barely moving. His sword was gripped loosely in one hand, though she could see he no longer had the strength to wield it. All around him the wolves were watching, waiting for the last of his strength to fail. Lily reclaimed her larger form and shrieked in fury as she dove into the center of the small clearing. She used her light as a weapon, letting it flare bright and hot as she hovered just above Kel.
The wolves retreated to the shadows, and Lily flew to the horse’s head. The animal snorted, ears flat against its skull and one hoof lifted in warning. Lily huffed in frustration at the delay and flicked her fingers. “We don’t have time for this.”
The gesture sent tiny cloud of glittering dust straight at the horse’s muzzle. The moment they touched flesh the creature dropped his head and whickered softly. His steel-shod hoof dropped back to the ground and Lily sighed in relief. “We have to get him out of here.”
She grabbed a hold of the dangling reins and flew ahead, guiding the horse and his precious cargo out of the clearing before the wolves grew bold enough to challenge them. They had only managed
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