Dark Lord of Kismera: Knights of Kismera (24 page)

D
race woke sometime in the night, his head pounding; his mouth dry. He made a silent vow as he tried to hold his head together, never, ever again to drink anything Estelle made.

He felt Ki move against him and his body reacted instantly, almost violently.
Apparently it takes some time to wear off,
he thought blearily, noting that Ki had lit a candle by her side of the bed.

He could see that sometime during the night Ki had removed the headdress and washed her face. Her hair was a tangled cloud around her and she looked very peaceful as she slept next to him.

Despite the pain in his head, he felt that unknown force urging him to possess her once more. He woke her with soft kisses on her shoulder, a large hand covering her breast in a teasing caress. She gave a soft sigh as he continued, and it was more like the thorough loving he normally gave her. When they were both spent, they fell asleep again, limbs entwined.

When Drace woke again Ki was gone and Cearan and Lexin sat by the fire, both looking disheveled but rather smug.

Drace closed his eyes again. “Don’t you two know how to knock?’ he asked, his voice hoarse.

Lexin chuckled and Cearan stood and opened the drapes of one window. Drace bit back an unmanly whimper as the light hit his eyelids. “Just kill me now, please?” he muttered into his pillow.

“What, my Lord, and ruin such a fine day?” Cearan laughed, ignoring the twinge of pain in his own eyes. “I thought humans were hardier than that. Come brother, it is time to rise and…”

“If you say shine,” Drace interrupted him, “I will kill you myself,” he threatened and moved to sit on the edge of the bed, the sheet tangled around his hips.

Ki entered the room at that moment, dressed in a blue tunic and dark breeches. She smiled cheerfully at Drace who looked at her bleakly. “Come, my Lord. You have missed the morning meal. Estelle will have saved you something in the kitchen.”

Drace gave her a strange look. “What?” she asked.

He ran his hand through his hair. “Is there anything in it?”

Ki laughed. “No, love, it is a perfectly safe meal. Why do you ask?”

Drace gave her another look, this one a bit embarrassed. “I, ah, was not myself last night. What was in the wine?”

“It is a special herb. It is our belief that the mating before a battle brings a man,” Cearan explained helpfully. “Or a woman,” he added with a nod in Ki’s direction, “Extra passion into the fight. The more times you mate the more powerful the warrior.”

Drace made a choking sound then managed to arrange his features into an impassive look, except for the stain of color on his cheekbones.

Lexin looked rather cocky seated in his chair. “I bedded a fine woman thrice last evening,” he admitted boastfully.

Cearan also wore a smug look. “I bedded my woman three times as well.” He playfully punched Lexin in the arm. “We are mighty, are we not?” The two seemed to find that funny and started to laugh.

Ki was gathering clothes for Drace as she listened to the young men. She stopped by Drace, handing him the clothes. She moved beside him and attacked the tangles in his long hair with a brush. He winced as she pulled a difficult one. She looked over his head at her brother and cousin.

“I would not brag so if that were the best I could do,” she commented casually, her brush sliding rhythmically through Drace’s hair.

“Oh, that is not good enough?” Cearan asked, and then surprise showed in his eyes. Ki was holding up her hand behind Drace’s head.

“You are jesting,” Cearan said, his surprise turning to doubt.

“No man could do that. He would hurt himself,” Lexin added, his own expression echoing Cearan’s.

Drace turned his head to see the hand she still held up and went
red- faced.

Cearan laughed hysterically at Drace’s look of dismay.

“Does it count if I don’t remember?” Drace asked, shocked.

“Five is five, whether you remember or not,” Lexin provided, nodding enthusiastically.

“You’re kidding?” Drace argued, still looking at Ki in disbelief.

“I was there and remember quite clearly,” Ki said, laughter in her voice, as she began to braid his hair.

Drace lifted the sheet and checked the now dormant portion of his anatomy.
Thank God, intact.
Relief washed over him. He looked back at the two younger men, narrowing his eyes at them. “Don’t you have something to do?”

Cearan looked thoughtful for a second. “No, we are just waiting for you to stand to see if anything falls off.” He and Lexin began to laugh hysterically.

Drace gritted his teeth and managed to look quite fierce despite that fact he was sitting naked, holding a handful of clothes. “GET! OUT! NOW!”

Both men made a run for it, their laughter sounding down the stairs.

Drace looked back at Ki, still looking ill-tempered. “You were just saying that to make me look good, right?”

“No, my Lord, you were most passionate last night,” she said, looking very serious.

Drace got a whack from Ki with the hairbrush when he hung his head, burying his hands in his hair and undoing her work.

DRACE RODE BESIDE KI at the head of the army, the butt end of a lance resting on the top of his boot as he held its length upright in his right hand, Pride’s reins in his left. They had been on the move for almost two weeks and he looked eagerly for camp that night. They had been pressing hard after Nimbus had brought word the southern pass had cleared.

The dwarfs had refused to ride any of the horses. A wagon train was incorporated to transport them and their gear along with tents and supplies for the rest of the armies. Eight-horse teams pulled the huge wagons. Occasionally, they bogged down in mud and the dwarfs would cheerfully jump out and use their strength to push the wagons free.

Drace had formed an interesting friendship with Jumon of the dwarfs. It always brought a smile to Ki’s face to see them together. Drace was so tall and of course the dwarf leader was short and broad. Drace unconsciously would find something to sit on if he could when they talked, bringing him closer to eye level. He was fascinated of descriptions of the dwarf’s mountain home and he had spent many of the evenings listening to Jumon, when they stopped to camp. Ki made a silent vow to take him to Fortune when this was all over.

“Ki,” Drace said, interrupting her train of thought. The warning note in his voice got her full attention. She saw the galloper coming towards them fast, the rider with him lagging behind. Ki quickly motioned for a couple of warriors to meet them.

The main force came to a halt, waiting for the outriders to return. The first rider made it to Ki and Drace; Cearan, Lexin, and Keva came at a gallop up the line to see what had happened.

The wounded rider made it with the help of the two men Ki had sent. One held the reins of his horse—the other supported him by the elbow. A large arrow protruded from a gap in his armor under his collarbone. He was sent back to Vashti and the healers that had come with the armies.

Ki gave the galloper a moment to catch his breath then asked him for a report.

“We came over a hill right into their camp, they were so well hidden. That is when Sohand took a Zakara arrow. I managed to get a count before we turned and rode back out.”

“How many were there?” Ki asked, feeling a thrill of anticipation run through her.

“Six humans and three Zakaras. They must have made a kill this morning. There was half a carcass of a bison beast in their camp. They obviously did not know our armies approach; there were no sentries.”

“Give us the location,” Ki said, already thinking ahead. Upon receiving the directions, she organized a smaller party to catch up with the enemy group. She knew that on sight of the two Werre scouts the southerners would make an escape or hunt for an ambush spot. Either way, time was essential.

Ki was sending Drace and Cearan and twenty other men; they would be leaving their lances behind this time. Drace included Siken in the group as he was a talented tracker. He tolerated the Werren man’s presence for the good of the group.

Drace gave Ki a quick kiss. “Keep my bedroll warm for me,” he said with a wink as he checked his saddle’s girth.

She halted him before he remounted Pride. “Come back safe to me.”

He touched his forehead to hers, a gloved hand against her cheek. “I will. I love you. Don’t worry, I had a great teacher.” He gave her a wicked grin. “Remember, I
am
the most powerful of warriors.”

That made Ki laugh. “May the Gods watch over all of you. Take care Cearan,” she called to her brother as he galloped by.

“Come, MacKinnon. It is time to go Zakara hunting,” Cearan said excitedly, waving to Ki as he was already turning his horse. Drace mounted Pride and settled his helm onto his head, visor up. He spun Pride then spurred forward with Cearan; their men followed behind them

Ki watched them until they disappeared over a hill then sent orders down the line to move further down the river they had been following before they made camp for the night. Sentries were to be doubled. With one last look in the direction her two loved ones had taken; she remounted her horse and called the order to move on again.

D
race felt adrenalin surge through him as they galloped toward the last know location of the enemy camp. When they reached it they saw the camp had been abandoned in haste only a short while ago. There were no signs of horses so the southern group was on foot.

Siken soon had the trail, although so far the enemies had been moving quickly and not trying to hide their passing. Siken ranged carefully in front of the Oralian group; as a whole they moved more cautiously. After hunting the enemy warriors for a couple of hours, Siken rejoined Drace and Cearan at the head of the party.

“I know the lands here. There are a group of trees ahead and just past them is a large field of boulders. ‘Tis an excellent ambush spot for the enemy. The tracks seem to continue in that direction and no attempt was made to hide them. It is as if they want us to follow them,” Siken informed them. He stood patiently, holding his horse by its reins.

Drace looked at the darkening sky as night approached and took a deep breath. He conferred with Cearan quickly and they made plans to use the coming darkness to their advantage. They moved into the outer edge of the trees and made camp. A couple of fires were lit and the horses unsaddled and tied securely. As darkness fell, each man made a trip into the trees to relieve himself and came back with a blanket, lying down to sleep.

When the firelight started to die and the camp was silent, the enemy group made their move. With screams and wolf like howls the six men and three Zakaras came rushing into the camp, attacking the still forms in their bedrolls. Howls of fury came from the Zakara when they all realized the blankets covered only piled leaves and sticks.

Drace stepped out of the shadows, sword drawn but held low. “Looking for someone?” he asked casually. Nine sets of eyes turned on him. The sharp twang of bowstrings sounded on either side of Drace. One of the Zakara went down, an arrow in its throat, taking his comrades by surprise, but only for a moment.

Pandemonium reigned then as multiple roars from the Werren men sounded as they attacked. Drace ran forward, raising his sword to engage a man closest to him. Steel met steel with a hiss and clang. Having learned from both Ki’s instruction and the encounter he and Cearan had in the winter, he used the huge claymore sword to end the foe quickly and moved on. Two more men went down, arrows protruding from several wounds. One more Zakara was hit, but not mortally; it hit one of its own men in its fury. The area was soon full of fighting men. A quarter of an hour later, Drace and Cearan brought the wounded Zakara down and it was still in the camp.

The warriors roared in victory, having only a couple of minor wounds between them. They piled the bodies on one of the campfires, adding wood as they worked. Drace had been fine until then and had to walk away, gagging slightly as he sought fresh air.

Cearan joined him a moment later. “Your plan worked very well, my Lord.” Cearan complimented and slapped him on the back. “The men will be ready to leave when you say.”

“With your lion’s eyes we can ride through the rest of the night and catch them early morning, I think,” Drace said, looking thoughtful. He saw Cearan’s nod of agreement in the light of the bonfire and they went to saddle the horses. Drace wanted to get away from there as soon as possible.

The victorious war party rejoined the main army late morning as it continued on to the plains of Hopa. By evening, several of the war party was nodding in their saddles, Drace included. Ki watched him closely, noting the tiredness in his face, and hoped he did not fall. He was in danger of just that as they drew close to their next camp, his chin dropping almost to his chest, his eyes closed. When his hand relaxed enough, the reins started to slip. Ki drew her dagger and poked him with the hilt against his breastplate, making a clanging sound. Drace jerked awake with a grunt and such a surprised look she burst out laughing.

She looked up and saw Nimbus and Azure gliding in to land further up. The leaders of the different forces galloped up the line at the sight of the dragons. Halting the armies, the smaller group rode out to meet with them. After the proper greetings were exchanged, they all waited for the current news.

“The Southern army is in the pass as we speak, and there is evidence that a few scouting parties have already made it through. Azure spotted the Night dragon, but managed to elude him,” Nimbus informed them.

Drace told Nimbus of the happening from the night before while his heart tripped in his chest.

Ki looked pale although she held her chin up bravely. “It has come then,” she said quietly and looked over at Drace. He took her hand and held it firmly. To the group she said, “We make our final camp tonight; there we will go over last minute details.”

“Azure and I will be close by. Rest well this night,” Nimbus said in parting, and then sprang up into the evening sky.

It was late when all the leaders left the large tent where Ki and Drace slept, leaving the couple alone. Drace sat on a low stool to remove his boots. He yawned and chunked his boots in a corner close to their bedding. He pushed his hair back from his face and looked over at Ki. “Come here,” he said softly, extending a hand to her.

She walked over to him, wearing nothing but her long shirt, and he pulled her between his knees and rested his head against her breasts. He slid his hands up the back of her thighs and settled them on her buttocks. Drace pulled her into his lap, moving her legs around his waist.

“I thought you would be tired. I know you did not sleep last night,” Ki said, running her hands soothingly over his shoulders. She gasped when he pulled her closer against him and her eyebrows rose. “Not too tired I see.” She saw him grin at her by the light of the single candle left burning on a camp table.

“It has a mind of its own I think,” he replied, nuzzling her neck. He grew more serious. “I don’t know what the next few days will hold but I have tonight.” He bit her lightly. “Yes, I’m tired. I’m really tired, but I have to have you, at least once. Please, Ki let me love you.”

Ki sucked in her breath as his mouth moved across her collarbone and she buried her hands in his long hair. While his mouth was busy, his hands moved from her bottom to the front of her shirt. He opened the laces and pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it in the general direction his boots had taken. He pushed her back so that he could get to her breasts. She pulled her lower lip between her teeth to keep from crying out when he nipped her then sucked the hurt lightly.