Ascent From Ash, page 11
Having no luck, Gabe went back to the castle and straight to his room. He reached out to Leon.
“I need a wizard who can do protection spells for the lair,” Gabe told him.
“Hello to you too, Gabe. I take it that Akiri was successful in producing a clutch, but now doesn’t want to leave the nest?” Leon asked.
“Yes, there are five eggs in total and they are all moving. We could have five dragons soon, although none of the texts I got from Ravenhall say anything about how long it takes a dragon egg to hatch.”
“I will reach out to a contact in Northport, I am assuming that Sophie is out of the question,” Leon said. It was not a question, but a statement.
“Yes, sir. We didn’t part on the best of terms last time.” Gabe said as he thought back to his last interaction with Sophie.
“I’m sorry about that, I am, but the information you have given us already is proving very valuable. The fact that humans and dragonshifters can produce eggs- is truly fascinating. Keep up the good work, Gabe.” Leon said.
“Thank you, let me know when you find a wizard.” Gabe disconnected their mental link before Leon could continue. Gabe disliked being reminded of Sophie every time they talked. He just wanted to move on. He forced the conversation, and Sophie from his mind and instead, went to the storage closet and gathered two bedrolls and pillows. Then he grabbed two robes and arranged for Mister Koffery to bring him and Akiri dinner in the lair.
The blacksmith was working diligently on the door as Gabe approached. The large steel door was almost completed. It was not solid, but rather, the top of the door looked more like the cell doors in the dungeon. If they put a solid door on the lair, there would be no airflow and Gabe worried that the eggs might not survive if cut off from the fresh air.
Gabe walked down the stairs, and around the corner to where Akiri sat beside the nest, humming to the eggs. He laid out the two bedrolls and pillows side by side. Akiri looked at him curiously.
“What’s this?” She asked.
“Until the door is finished, I thought I would stay down here with you, to help you watch over our babies,” Gabe said as he placed a hand gently on one of the eggs. “I have already arranged for Mister Koffery to bring us dinner, and I brought our robes, so we can be comfy.” Gabe watched Akiri’s face turn from surprise to awe. She stood up and walked over to him as a tear ran down her cheek.
Gabe took her in his arms and held her close as he reached up and wiped the tear from her cheek with his thumb. “Please, don’t cry.”
“I’m sorry.” She said.
“What do you have to be sorry for?”
“I just don’t understand my feelings. You are so sweet and you make me so happy, but then the thought of possibly losing you makes me feel like a piece of me is gone. When I think that this must have been the way Sophie felt about you, and the way you felt about her, I am ashamed that I took that from you both.”
“No, the situation with me and Sophie was beyond anyone’s control it was her choices and mine that led me to you and I don’t regret a single thing that happened. This feeling that you’re talking about, that’s love, this is what love feels like. I don’t want to lose you either, not for anything in the world. I’m not going anywhere. I’m yours, Akiri. I love you.” His voice was deep and soft in her ear and it sent a shiver down her spine. Her skin prickled as Gabe ran his fingertips up her bare back and in what seemed like an instant, but forever at the same time, he kissed her. It was slow and soft.
Gabe ran his fingers through her long black hair as he deepened the kiss. The room felt like it was spinning to Akiri, she felt woozy like she had the very first time she had wine. Gabe’s fingertips explored the curves of her body as he trailed kisses down her neck. They forgot anyone else in the world existed until they heard someone behind them loudly clear their throat.
They jumped, startled by the sudden noise and Gabe rushed to grab the robe he brought for Akiri. Gabe’s guard, Jack turned his back while he waited for Akiri to slip the robe on and tie it at the front.
“Yes?” Akiri asked as she adjusted her robe and brushed the hair out of her face.
“Sorry to interrupt, My Queen, I just wanted to let you know that the door is finished. This is the key and it is the only copy. Keep it with you, we can’t open the door without it.” Jack said as he handed the key to Akiri. Jack turned and left the lair.
Akiri looked at Gabe. She saw the obvious sign of frustration about the interruption. She smiled as she stood on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around his shoulders.
“What do you say we lock up here, and go finish what we started in our bedchamber?” she whispered.
Gabe agreed enthusiastically.
22
Sophie
Time seemed to move so quickly. The first day, turned into three, then before Sophie knew how it happened, she had been with Kamara and Dominic for more than two weeks. They settled into a routine. During the week, Sophie and Kamara would spend their morning gardening while Dominic worked on various building projects. The horses now had a fence that spanned the entire left side of the property, which included a fresh spring to drink from and plenty of pasture to roam. They also obtained goats for milk, and pigs for bacon, ham, and sausage, of course, it would be at least a year before any of the pigs were ready for the slaughterhouse- which Dominic still had to build.
On the weekends they flew to Ledora and spent time with the king during the day and they enjoyed court life at night. Kamara, as the Princess, knew almost everyone and often introduced Sophie to people she thought she might like. Sophie became quite popular with the noblemen at court, but the whispers she overheard were contrary. It was usually the women. She knew they were talking about her because when she would approach, they all stopped talking and would look guilty when she spoke to them.
On more than one occasion, she had women approach her and they tried to engage politely in conversation, only for Sophie to realize that they were really only fishing for information about why Sophie had turned down proposals from several of the nobles of Ledora. It had been a week since the last occasion and already a new rumor was circulating the court. Sophie overheard the whisper this time in the powder room.
“I know why she turns down every man who tries to court her, she’s Prince Dominic’s mistress. She even lives with them in their new castle, If you can even call it that.”
“They have a new castle?”
“Well, not new. They just fixed up that old temple where all those religious people were murdered outside Blackwater.”
“I swear that town is a curse.”
“I know! Positively a curse, you know that’s where Sophie is from.” Sophie had heard enough, she opened the door to the privy and walked right over to the girl starting the rumors. When she saw Sophie all the girls went silent, they knew she had heard every word.
"What's your name?" Sophie asked as she reached up to touch the brooch of the girl's family crest that she had pinned on her chest. The girl remained quiet. "This is such a pretty pin." Sophie gave it a quick tug and the back of the pin popped open and it came off in Sophie's hand.
"Actually, I haven’t accepted a proposal because I like to sample everything at the buffet. I get bored of the same old thing all the time and unlike you, I run my own Kingdom and am not forced to choose a husband just for the sake of being married. Secondly, I am sure Prince Dominic would love to hear how you’re implying-no- flat out telling people that he has taken a mistress and broken his vow to Kamara before they have even wed. How would the king feel about these rumors you’re spreading about his only son and heir? If I were you, I would take more care with your tongue, before you lose it. Oh, and I'm keeping this.” She held up the brooch. "Let me hear you say another word about me or my friends and they will be the last words you speak."
Sophie didn’t wait for any of them to respond, she walked out of the powder room with her head held high. She could feel all their eyes on her as she left. Sophie rounded the corner quickly, in a hurry to find Kamara and tell her what happened and she bumped right into someone. She almost fell but he caught her.
“Woah, careful. Sophie, it's so good to see you,” he said as he helped her stand upright again. She knew his voice before she even looked up to see his face.
“Bastian, I- uh… hello.” Sophie stumbled on her words. She hadn’t expected to see him again after their drunken night together at Dominic and Kamara’s engagement. His blue eyes sparkled like sapphires and his blond hair, which was now long enough to put in a ponytail was tied back with a black ribbon. To the right of them, Sophie saw a maiden with her fan drawn up to her chin. She looked at Sophie with envy and then batted her eyelashes as she looked back at Bastian.
“Would you please dance with me?” Bastian extended his hand to Sophie. She nodded and gently placed her hand in his as he suavely swept her onto the dance floor. He twirled her around so that her back was to him and ran his fingers up the sensitive part of her arms as she raised them above her head. Sophie brought one arm down slowly, caressing the side of Bastian’s face. Just before their lips touched, he twirled her out again, this time, just beyond the edge of his reach. She twirled away from him as his steps lightly followed her. She paused, looking away from him, and he put his arm around her from behind, resting his hand on her abdomen. He slowly turned her chin to look at him with his other hand and she gazed up at him as their lips grew closer. He dipped her smoothly, staying so close that she could feel his breath trail all the way from her lips to her breasts as she leaned back in his arms. When he guided her body back up, his hands roamed her body and his face was almost touching hers. She wanted to kiss him, but he controlled their every move as he led the seductive dance. Everyone watched them as their bodies told a story of desire and longing. The crowd that gathered around the ballroom burst into applause when the song was over. Bastian’s lips still never even brushed hers.
His seductive dance had worked. She wanted him. This time, she was completely sober and the magnetic draw she felt to him was undeniable. He bowed to her and then kissed her hand.
“Thank you, Sophie. I hope I see you again.”
“What do you mean? Are you leaving?”
“I am, I was already on my way out when I ran into you, but-” His words cut off, but Sophie could tell there was more he wanted to say. “Never mind. It was really good to see you again.” He kissed her cheek and then quickly turned to make his way back through the crowd toward the exit.
Sophie stood there in shock as he disappeared into the sea of people. Wait, that’s it? Really? Sophie thought. Their dance had left her almost breathless and needful. She tried to follow him through the ballroom, but by the time she made it across the room and through the doors leading outside, he was gone. How did he disappear so quickly? Sophie thought.
She stood outside for a while, looking off into the distance, trying to calm her racing thoughts, and let the strange feeling of arousal pass. She had spent the night with Bastian when first they met, and this time it seemed that the second things started heating up between them, he was in a hurry to leave. Sophie was about to head back inside when the doors behind her opened and Kamara came out to join her.
“Did you just need some fresh air? I would, after that dance. Sss ow!” Kamara touched Sophie’s shoulder with her fingertip and pretended that her skin sizzled and burned, her sound effects did make Sophie smile.
“Bastian left. He was already gone by the time I made it to the door like he just disappeared. I don’t understand how he vanished so quickly.” Sophie told her.
“That’s strange. I don’t know him other than from the ball so I am afraid I won’t be much help, but, we could go back in and dance.” Kamara smiled and took Sophie’s hand. “I mean- I doubt that I’m as seductive a dancer as Bastian, but I will try my best.” Kamara winked at Sophie and just like that, Sophie moved the thoughts of Bastian to the back of her mind and was actually grinning. She followed Kamara back inside and onto the dance floor.
That night as Sophie slept, her mind was filled with strange dreams. The sky was filled with heavy, dark, rain clouds and the air was cool. Sophie didn’t know where she was, the town was strange-looking with twisted alleyways filled with dark wooden houses that were all shuttered up. Not even a lantern illuminated her way. The full moon shined down through a part in the clouds. Sophie watched the moon to see if she could tell which way the storm was going, but the clouds didn’t move. It was like they were magical in nature and used to engulf the city in shadows.
Sophie walked down the narrow cobblestone path toward the sound of a cawing raven. She saw the bird perched on an old stone wall beside an iron gate. When the bird noticed her drawing closer, it cawed again and flew away. She ran after the sound of flapping wings, into a graveyard. She tripped over a small headstone and fell to the ground. She stood up and ran through the cemetery until she reached the other end of it. The raven perched on the wall again and it seemed to look at her as she approached. Sophie reached out her hand to touch the bird and it squawked angrily. It flew at her face quickly and she reacted too late, the bird’s talon scratched her on the side of her neck as it swooped past, it swooped like a bat-not a bird. How odd. Sophie thought.
Just then, Bastian stepped out of the shadows and he seemed to float over to where she stood holding her neck. She looked at her hand and saw blood. Bastian didn’t say a word, instead, he looked at her with his piercing eyes. Sophie felt irresistibly drawn to him and in an instant, she closed the gap between them and kissed him. He pulled back only a little as he brushed his lips against hers in the most teasing way, then he kissed the corner of her mouth, her cheek, her jaw, and then her neck. She moaned softly as she felt his tongue on her neck, and just as abruptly as he had disappeared from court, the dream was over and Sophie woke up. She groaned loudly in the frustration of her empty bed and tried to remember what had happened between them the night of Kamara and Dominic’s engagement. Why couldn’t she remember anything besides waking up next to him and why did she need him so badly now?
Damn it, Sophie, pull yourself together. She scolded herself. She tried as hard as she could to fall back asleep, but it evaded her. When she tried to think back on her dream she found that it was gone from her memory. She knew it had been about Bastian, and that it had made her crave him more than ever, but the details beyond that were gone.
She was usually not even attracted to Bastian’s type, really, she had only ever been attracted to one other person, and that was Gabe. Bastian and Gabe could not be more opposite. Gabe was shorter, he was also outdoorsy with a dark brown complexion and dark hair. He liked to wade in the creek, skip rocks, fish, and gather herbs in the forest. Sophie only reached Bastian’s shoulder, he was poised and proper, well-dressed, and well-mannered most of the time. His hair was long and blonde, and he had piercing blue eyes. He was the very embodiment of the social elite, a great dancer, diplomatic, and yet there was something so mysterious about him.
Hours passed and Sophie still couldn’t sleep, so she stopped trying. Instead, she took a walk. She wandered aimlessly through the gardens, stopping now and again to smell the flowers. She couldn’t see the moon, it was cloudy now, so the only light came from the flickering oil lanterns that hung on shepherd hooks at the end of every flower bed.
Sophie sat down on a bench beside a bed of stargazer lilies. Even in the dark, the bright pink flower stood out against the stems and leaves of green that filled the rest of the flower bed. The wind whispered softly through her hair and chilled her arms. She shivered once but quickly recovered as she rubbed the back of her arms with her palms.
“Couldn’t sleep?” Sophie looked up to see Dominic. She smiled and shook her head.
“No, what about you?”
“I always take a night flight before I go to sleep, it helps me relax.”
“Where’s Kamara?” Sophie looked around, but she didn’t see her.
“She fell asleep already and I didn’t want to wake her. So, what’s on your mind? Why can’t you sleep? Is it Gabe?” Dominic took a seat on the bench beside Sophie.
“Surprisingly, it’s not Gabe. It’s Bastian. The night you and Kamara got engaged, I somehow ended up in his room-in his bed. I don’t remember what happened, but when we danced tonight it felt like a spark, like a magnet pulling us together and a heat between our bodies that could melt steel. Then he disappeared and I don’t know why,” Sophie told him. Dominic’s eyes widened. He looked like he had seen a ghost.
“What?” Sophie asked. He knew something about him, she could tell.
“Nothing, I mean, I thought you were out here pining over Gabe, I’m just surprised you moved on and I didn’t hear about it sooner.” He managed a smile. “Bastian seems nice, I know him from court, and we are friendly enough, but now that I think about it, I don’t know anything about him other than his first name. It’s strange.”
“Well, I should be getting back inside, I need to try to get a little sleep before tomorrow evening when we fly back,” Sophie said.
“I’ll walk you to your room.” Dominic rose to his feet first and offered his hand to Sophie. She took his hand until she was on her feet and then she pulled away quickly. She hadn’t meant to and she hoped he wouldn’t notice, but he did.
“What’s wrong?” He asked, worried.
“There were some girls in the powder room today, they were spreading rumors. They thought that I was your mistress. I was just afraid if they saw us holding hands, or walking too close that the rumors would get worse.
