Rivals (Book 2 of The Warden series) Read online

  She didn’t say anything in response. He watched the sunset pretending that the madness of the day was melting into the ground, just like the sun.

  9

  The morning of day three was cold and damp, but at least the rain had stopped. Ethan went out to scout the area before they could leave. Cori stayed in the tent trying to erase the images of last night’s dreams from her psyche. Having a sorrow demon reminding her about Vince’s death and nightmares reliving her capture into slave labor was taking its toll on her sanity.

  She heard a shout from outside the tent. She peeked out the flap and saw Ethan with a wizard. “Damn it.”

  “I am the wizard Dolf,” the chubby bald man announced. “Who are you?”

  “I am the wizard E…” Before Ethan could answer, he was up in the air choking, while Dolf played the part of Darth Vader.

  Cori wanted to run out and fight him, but given his powers, she knew it would be useless. She remembered what the first wizard had said about Dolf being dumb, and she hoped it was true.

  Ethan felt the invisible grip tighten around his neck, and he wondered if Dolf would bore of him eventually and release him, or just kill him for sport. Without a voice, he could not even plead for mercy or surrender.

  There was a low growl behind him, similar to a bear. It caught Dolf’s attention as well. Unfortunately, his grip didn’t waver.

  The low growl stopped and a laugh followed. Dolf’s attention was fully attained, and he lowered Ethan to the ground. He could breathe a little better, but his movement was limited.

  He turned his head just enough to see the tent flap moving open and shut with each “ha” of the laugh, steam rising from the tent as it did.

  “Why do you attack my lunch?” The deep voice spoke from within as the tent flap mouthed the words.

  Ethan cringed, thinking how ridiculous this ploy was, but Dolf’s eyes were big. He was buying every bit of it.

  “Kill my lunch, and I will need a replacement,” the tent said. “You look mighty tasty.”

  Without another word, Dolf released Ethan and ran off in the opposite direction. Ethan dropped to the ground and gasped. When it was clear, Cori ran out to his aid.

  “I can’t believe that worked,” she said, raising Ethan’s arms in the air so his lungs could fully expand.

  “Neither can I, he must be the stupidest wizard ever.”

  “According to Demnok he probably is,” she said.

  “Demnok?”

  “It was mentioned in passing when he thought I was a wizard in disguise.”

  “Good memory,” Ethan said.

  “Thanks.” Cori slapped her hands together, apparently exhilarated by saving his life. “Where to today?”

  He wondered how long that enthusiasm would last when they started walking again. “The caves are probably the least hospitable lodging, but the safest.”

  “Safe is good.” Cori helped Ethan up. He wasn’t really in that bad shape, but he liked it when she took care of him. It had been a long time since he had anyone to nurture him. “I didn’t know the wizards could pull a Darth Vader.”

  Ethan smiled. “Their powers are limited to manipulating the human body.”

  “Just people, not animals?”

  “No.” Ethan shook his head.

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t know; something about the type of magic in them. Animals fall under a different category.”

  “Why are they so stupid?”

  “They aren’t stupid. They are insane. Granted, their insanity makes them easier to dupe, but you can’t underestimate their powers. Every one of them could snap our necks with a flick of their wrists. Literally.”

  “Why don’t they?”

  “They barely remember themselves, let alone who their colleagues are. That’s why I introduced myself as a wizard to Demnok. He has no idea if I’m lying, and he can hardly risk getting into a battle with another wizard. It gets bloody.”

  “So you just bullshit your way out of trouble?”

  “Yep.” Ethan nodded. “As long as I am a mystery, I am safe.”

  “Why did Dolf attack you then?”

  “He must have seen me scouting the area. He must have known I wasn’t one of them.”

  “Close call, huh?”

  Ethan smiled. “Not with the great and powerful teepee at my back.”

  Cori nodded, but didn’t smile at his quip.

  10

  Ethan was happy to have someone to keep him company on his travels this time around. He wasn’t, however, entirely prepared to entertain that someone. Cori hadn’t taken well to the long walking and her hunger had changed from cranky to something far worse: feisty. “You know what I hate the most about this place,” Cori said loudly as she traipsed along behind him. “The walking. Walk here. Walk there. I am so sick of walking.”

  Ethan pulled the granola bar from his bag and tossed it over his shoulder to her. She caught it. “This won’t change how I feel about walking,” she said, brandishing the bar at him when he glanced back.

  He didn’t stop or respond to her. He felt a push from behind. He stumbled forward a few steps and turned around. “What do you want me to do about it, Cori?”

  “I don’t know,” she said, frustrated.

  “Do you want to stop and rest?” He felt as if he was talking to a two-year-old that needed a nap, but refused to fall asleep.

  “No,” she moaned. “How much further?”

  “Longer than you want it to be,” he said. “Eat the granola bar. You’ll feel better.”

  “I don’t want to eat the granola bar. You don’t need a granola bar.”

  “Cori!” He turned around to face her. “Either eat it, or rest, or shut the hell up. I don’t want to get attacked again because you want to starve competitively.”

  She abruptly sat down Indian style with a huff and started eating the granola bar. “I hate this place,” she mumbled with her mouth full. Half way through she offered the rest to Ethan. He nodded for her to finish it. “Please eat it, so I don’t have to feel like an ass.” She thrust it up at him.

  He sat down beside her and finished the last bit of granola. He didn’t want to admit that it was the best-tasting granola bar he had ever eaten. After he finished he started to get up. Cori pushed him again, making him land on his butt. He stared at her, flabbergasted. “What the hell?”

  “I am willing to do anything to avoid walking again, including pick a fight with you.”

  “I’m not fighting you,” he said firmly.

  “Okay,” she said.

  He started to get up again, but she hooked his ankles with her feet and pulled him down again. He glared at her, but she just laughed.

  “Cori! This is childish.”

  “I know, I know, but this walking is so boring. I think I have ADHD” She crawled toward him.

  He jumped to his feet before she could stop him. “No, you’re just spoiled.”

  She knelt before him, grabbing his shirt. “Wait, wait, wait, I have an idea.”

  He pulled away and started walking.

  “It involves taking our clothes off.”

  He couldn’t help but be intrigued. He stopped and looked back at her. She smiled mischievously and tipped her brow.

  Cori ran through the trees ahead of him, giggling like a schoolgirl. Ethan struggled to keep up, ducking the evergreen branches she left swinging in her wake. It was late afternoon, and he expected another hour’s worth of walking before they reached the caves, leaving them just enough time for whatever Cori had planned.

  “Come on,” she called back to him.

  “Where are you going?” He didn’t really know why he had followed her so unquestioningly. Actually, he did.

  “Come on.” She giggled.

  He popped out of the trees just as Cori started removing her clothes, starting with her shoes. She smiled at him, hopping on one foot to get her shoe off. Behind her in the clearing was a serene lake. The water mirrored the blue sky and late-
day sun.

  “You want to swim?” he asked, reasonably disappointed.

  “No,” she said, moving to him. “I want us to swim.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him closer to the water. “Take your shirt off.”

  “How did you know this was here?” he asked slipping his t-shirt over his head.

  “I saw it from the cliffs last night at sunset. I made a mental note of the surrounding landscape.” She continued to remove her own shirt and pants, leaving only her underclothes.

  He turned away, making an excuse to survey the area, so he wasn’t tempted to openly gawk at her. “We are putting ourselves in a vulnerable position. This is foolish and dangerous.” Even as he said it, he started to pull off his shoes.

  “Dangerous, and we get to take our clothes off. I can’t believe I have to talk you into this. Come on.”

  He looked back at her, shifting his eyes in every imaginable direction before he could focus on her face. “Maybe I should stay out here and keep a lookout.”

  “You can watch out for me, in the water,” she said, backing off the shore into the shallow water. She kicked water at him.

  Ethan grumbled a cuss under his breath and slipped out of his cargo pants. “Okay, but we have to be quiet,” he said right before he yelled and charged in after her. She squealed and dove in. After a bit of splashing they settled into the cool water and floated around.

  Ethan had forgotten how freeing swimming was. It was like being a kid again.

  11

  The remaining walk to the cave, Cori didn’t lag behind, nor did she complain about the walking. She kept a strange little smile on her face that Ethan couldn’t help but be amused by.

  He chuckled to himself after one particular glance.

  “What are you laughing at?” she asked.

  “You,” he said. “Who knew swimming would put you in a sane state of mind.”

  “Well, what do you expect? We live in Siberia. We don’t have a pool, at least not one that isn’t filled with sea creatures. When else are we going to swim?”

  “That’s true. I never thought of that,” he said.

  “See, you should thank me for providing you with a long-overdue pleasure.”

  “Thank you.” Ethan took her hand and brought it to his lips for a chaste kiss. It was a gesture he had seen Danato do many times with her. He couldn’t think of a better way to express his thanks for such a liberating afternoon.

  Unfortunately, his gracious gesture was spoiled when she yanked her hand back. She must have seen the shock in his face, because she looked away. He wasn’t sure what was more offensive to him: that she pulled away from him, or that she looked away.

  He couldn’t understand her. One minute they were friends, skirting the options of being more, and the next they were complete strangers to each other. This was why he couldn’t seek her out. This was why no matter what he felt for her he wouldn’t push a relationship with her until she asked for it.

  He walked on ahead of her, no longer wanting to observe her smile. He heard her mumble “you’re welcome” from behind as he distanced her.

  When they finally reached the cave, Ethan started a fire and lay straight down to sleep. Cori sat across the fire, poking at the wood with a stick. Sparks glittered out from the wood as she did.

  “Are you awake?” she finally asked.

  “That depends on what you want.” He had sensed a shift in her demeanor. She was unsettled. He wasn’t sure if it was in regards to the awkward hand kiss or just frustration over the lack of entertainment. Either way, he wasn’t committed to playing the role of the concerned friend.

  “Nothing, I guess,” she said.

  “You definitely have ADHD,” he grumbled and rolled over, putting his back to her.

  “I just…” Cori trailed off. A few seconds later he heard a stuttered inhalation.

  He looked back and saw tears in her eyes. He sat up. “What is it?”

  She shook her head vigorously, trying to get herself under control before speaking. “I don’t want to fall asleep,” she blubbered.

  “Oh, crap.” Ethan chastised himself for being so blind. He crawled over to her and held her in his arms. She tensed at his touch, but he didn’t release. “I’m so sorry. I forgot about the dreams. They are wicked.” He rocked her slightly, while she gulped in breaths. “That bad, huh?” he whispered in her ear.

  “Yes.” She nodded. “It’s just my memories, but with more violence, and in vivid Technicolor. Those stupid assholes! I hate them so much for doing this to me.”

  “You can stop the dreams. If you…”

  “What?” She sniffled.

  “It took me a few nights to get the hang of controlling my dreams. It just takes mental preparation, and a safe place in your mind.”

  “Nothing I could learn in under an hour.” Cori laughed through her tears.

  “No.” Ethan grimaced.

  “I hate this. I thought I was over this. The fear.” She pulled away from him. He released her, feeling the sting of rejection again. She turned to face him. “I didn’t mean to pull away like that this afternoon. The dreams have put me on the defensive.” She leaned down and shook her head. “The stupid sorrow demon is latching onto them too. I feel like I’m being pulled in two different directions.”

  “What’s the other direction?”

  She looked back up at him, and he wasn’t sure what she saw in his face, but she stopped crying and the sadness in her eyes was replaced with fear. “What?”

  “You said two different directions.”

  Her mouth gaped as she stared at him. “Will you sleep with me tonight?”

  It was Ethan’s turn to play the slack-jawed idiot. He knew she was just trying to get out from under her fear demon, but if she was reliving the traumas of her captivity, it was even more important that he not indulge her vacillating attentions. He frowned and gave her arm a gentle rub. “Cori, we talked about that…”

  “Beside me,” she clarified.

  “Oh.” He cleared his throat and let his disappointment, relief, and embarrassment out with a cathartic chuckle. “You should have said that last part a little quicker.”

  She ignored his quip and continued to plead to him with her eyes. “You can wake me up when I start to have the nightmares?”

  “I’ll be ready to slap you awake at a moment’s notice.” He smiled.

  Her eyes flickered over him, just as his had flickered over her a moment earlier. She seemed to pose a question or statement that sat on the edge of her lips waiting to be spoken. She opened her mouth, taking in the breath she needed for her words, but she stopped, her eyes hardened and she gave him a forced smile.

  She lay down next to the fire. He scooted up next to her, trying to find the balance between protection and propriety. She fell asleep faster than he expected. Each time she started screaming, he woke her, subdued her, and lulled her back to sleep.

  At some point in the night, he stirred to her heavy breathing. She was grunting and groaning and her face showed pain. Instead of waking her up, he caressed her face. “Cori, it’s me. You’re safe,” he whispered. Her face relaxed slightly. “No one can hurt you. I’m watching over you. I’ll protect you.” His face was so close to hers. Her eyelids quivered, triggered by her dreams. The soft curve of her cheek glowed against the dying fire. Her lips were a rosy pink that hardly needed lipstick. He wanted to kiss her.

  “I love you, Cori,” he whispered into her ear. The nightmare passed. Her chest rose and fell with slow, shallow breaths. Her face no longer cringed and her muffled nightmare screams ceased.

  He was so close to her now. He couldn’t leave her, not yet. He lowered his face to hers. He was terrified she would wake and accuse him of molesting her.

  Ever so slightly, he touched his lips to hers. Her lips were soft and warm. Without the return from her, it was hardly more than a peck, but Ethan felt better somehow. He could at least say he hadn’t passed up the opportunity.

  12

 
Ethan woke up late the next morning. The spot where Cori had slept was empty and already cold. “Damn it.” He forced himself up and went outside to look for her. As he stepped out of the cave, he caught sight of a wizard within earshot. He ducked back in and peeked out at him.

  The wizard was leaning against a tree, shining his gold medallion necklace with his long dark beard. The chain held five thick gold coins with obscure markings. His long gauzy robe was covered in blood. Ethan got the impression his necklace was newly acquired.

  Ethan searched for a weapon. The rocks were all either too big or too small, and the sticks were kindling at best. He peeked back out of the cave entrance. The wizard had settled against a tree for a standing nap. His head was back and his eyes closed. Whatever he had just done to get his necklace must have taken a good deal of his energy.

  Ethan cursed silently.

  A pink flower fell from above the entrance to the cave. He looked at the bloom and picked it up. He looked up. Cori leaned over the cliff’s edge above.

  She motioned to the flower he had pinched between his fingers. She cupped her hand and put it over her nose and mouth. She took a deep breath in and pretended to fall asleep. She then pointed at the wizard.

  He examined the flower. There didn’t appear to be any particulate on it. Are you sure? He mouthed to her.

  Yes, she mouthed back.

  He shook his head and sneaked out of the cave. He didn’t have far to go. He debated whether to accost the wizard or simply push the flower up to his face. He slipped into position behind the tree and simply reached the flower over, dangling it over the man’s nose.

  The man was already snoring. Ethan wasn’t sure if he would know the difference if he did pass out.

  After a few snores, the wizard slumped and fell over. Ethan relaxed.

  Cori raced over. “Holy crap, it worked!”

  “You said you were sure!” His voice was pitched high.