painful grasp. “I don’t mind losing my life. But I’d die a happy man knowing my life was spent saving yours. Now promise me you’ll flee.”
Already his face was beginning to blur, and she knew the last of the coals were growing cool. “Please don’t spend our last moments on earth like this, my lord. I’ll not leave you, for I was destined to be with you. Whether in this life or the next, it matters not to me. My place is here with you. Nothing you can say or do will drive me away.”
He drew her close for one quick kiss, the merest brush of mouth to mouth, while the chorus of chilling sounds filled the forest.
“Oh, my lady. My beautiful Kylia. If onlythere had been time to show you my land. My people. My life.”
“I regret that more than you can know. I had truly hoped to learn the name of the one who betrayed you.”
“At a time like this, it seems less important than the fact that we must bid farewell in this dark forest before we even have time to know each other.”
She stared into his eyes and smiled. “It’s true that you know me not. But I know you, my lord. I’ve known you all my life.”
Her words stirred him. “Farewell, my lady.” He kissed her again, this time lingering over her lips. Despite the chill of the dark forest, he felt the quick rush of heat and was warmed by it.
The last spark created a burst of fiery light, blinding them before it burned out, plunging them into total darkness. Suddenly they were surrounded by gleaming feral eyes.
Grant lashed out, but his blade cut cleanly through the air, touching nothing. Keeping one arm around Kylia, he thrust his sword into the darkness. Again he felt nothing but air.
“Where are you?” he demanded of the creatures. “I can hear you breathe, can see your eyes burning in the darkness. Come closer, cowards.”
Again he parried, but his sword sang through the air, touching nothing.
Kylia felt something at the hem of her gown and let out a scream as she imagined the snake slithering around her ankles.
“Are you hurt?” Grant demanded.
“Nay.” She struggled for breath, then said louder, “Nay. Like my dreams, I thought…”
At her sudden silence he drew her close. “What is it, my lady? You’ve been harmed, haven’t you?”
“Nay. But something just occurred to me.”
He glanced around, feeling his skin crawl as the feral red eyes drew closer, until the night was alive with them. “What is it, Kylia?”
“The Forest of Darkness. The creatures. I don’t believe they exist, except in our minds.”
“What are you saying?” He pointed with the tip of his sword. “Look around you. They’re everywhere. We can both see them.”
“Aye.” She put a hand to still the pounding of her heart. “But I see my worst fear. A snake.You see the two-headed creature of your nightmares. And when the fire burns brightly, neither of us sees anything.”
He digested this while all around him the forest was filled with chilling sounds. Suddenly he caught her hand. “If you’re right in this, we can walk freely across the clearing and toss a fresh log on the coals.”
“Aye.”
“If you’re wrong, we’ll never feel the warmth of a fire again.”
Her hand trembled in his. “Then we’ll die together, my lord.”
“You’re willing to risk it?”
“I am.”
He drew her close and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Together they took a step, and then another. Though the snarls and cries intensified, causing them to halt in panic, neither of them felt a sting of pain.
“Stay with me, Kylia.” Grant took another step and began feeling around in the dark for the pile of branches. When at last he touched them, he stooped and gathered an armload. Then he moved closer until he could feel the warmthof the coals. Seconds after dropping the wood, a tiny flicker of flame appeared along one thin branch. A few moments later the flame grew, until it hissed and snapped, creating a blaze of firelight that pierced the
Already his face was beginning to blur, and she knew the last of the coals were growing cool. “Please don’t spend our last moments on earth like this, my lord. I’ll not leave you, for I was destined to be with you. Whether in this life or the next, it matters not to me. My place is here with you. Nothing you can say or do will drive me away.”
He drew her close for one quick kiss, the merest brush of mouth to mouth, while the chorus of chilling sounds filled the forest.
“Oh, my lady. My beautiful Kylia. If onlythere had been time to show you my land. My people. My life.”
“I regret that more than you can know. I had truly hoped to learn the name of the one who betrayed you.”
“At a time like this, it seems less important than the fact that we must bid farewell in this dark forest before we even have time to know each other.”
She stared into his eyes and smiled. “It’s true that you know me not. But I know you, my lord. I’ve known you all my life.”
Her words stirred him. “Farewell, my lady.” He kissed her again, this time lingering over her lips. Despite the chill of the dark forest, he felt the quick rush of heat and was warmed by it.
The last spark created a burst of fiery light, blinding them before it burned out, plunging them into total darkness. Suddenly they were surrounded by gleaming feral eyes.
Grant lashed out, but his blade cut cleanly through the air, touching nothing. Keeping one arm around Kylia, he thrust his sword into the darkness. Again he felt nothing but air.
“Where are you?” he demanded of the creatures. “I can hear you breathe, can see your eyes burning in the darkness. Come closer, cowards.”
Again he parried, but his sword sang through the air, touching nothing.
Kylia felt something at the hem of her gown and let out a scream as she imagined the snake slithering around her ankles.
“Are you hurt?” Grant demanded.
“Nay.” She struggled for breath, then said louder, “Nay. Like my dreams, I thought…”
At her sudden silence he drew her close. “What is it, my lady? You’ve been harmed, haven’t you?”
“Nay. But something just occurred to me.”
He glanced around, feeling his skin crawl as the feral red eyes drew closer, until the night was alive with them. “What is it, Kylia?”
“The Forest of Darkness. The creatures. I don’t believe they exist, except in our minds.”
“What are you saying?” He pointed with the tip of his sword. “Look around you. They’re everywhere. We can both see them.”
“Aye.” She put a hand to still the pounding of her heart. “But I see my worst fear. A snake.You see the two-headed creature of your nightmares. And when the fire burns brightly, neither of us sees anything.”
He digested this while all around him the forest was filled with chilling sounds. Suddenly he caught her hand. “If you’re right in this, we can walk freely across the clearing and toss a fresh log on the coals.”
“Aye.”
“If you’re wrong, we’ll never feel the warmth of a fire again.”
Her hand trembled in his. “Then we’ll die together, my lord.”
“You’re willing to risk it?”
“I am.”
He drew her close and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Together they took a step, and then another. Though the snarls and cries intensified, causing them to halt in panic, neither of them felt a sting of pain.
“Stay with me, Kylia.” Grant took another step and began feeling around in the dark for the pile of branches. When at last he touched them, he stooped and gathered an armload. Then he moved closer until he could feel the warmthof the coals. Seconds after dropping the wood, a tiny flicker of flame appeared along one thin branch. A few moments later the flame grew, until it hissed and snapped, creating a blaze of firelight that pierced the
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