The Drifting (24 page)

I sit up quickly and stare at her unbelievably, “Are you kidding me?  Out of nowhere I get a vision, black out and then you tell me that you sent the guys to help them?  I’m wondering if I’m going out of my mind, if this is all real, and all you can tell me is to calm my breathing?  What is up with you, lady?  Take me to them…I want to be with my friend.”

“You mean, you want to be with Tharin.”

“Yes, no…I mean, I want to be with Julia, she’s in trouble…and yes, I want to be with Tharin, too.  What’s wrong with that?” I get up off the floor and head out to the landing, but the door doesn’t appear.  I turn to Sema, “Let me out!”

“No.  You will calm yourself, Lily.  You know I can’t let you go to them.”  Sema remains seated, arms folded before her.

“No, you’re going to let me out and send me to them, or I will…”

“You will what, Lily?  Go home?  Leave and try to find your way to wherever it is they are?”

“I’ll walk this whole damn realm if I have to, and I swear I won’t do anything you want from me – ever.”  I’m so angry now I feel myself shaking with rage.

We said nothing as we glare at each other and just when I thought I would start begging, Sema sighs, irritated.  “Very well.  I can take us to them, but you must stay at my side at all times.  Is that understood?”

I nod eagerly, not sure of what to do next and I feel the panic rising.  Sema’s stare finally cuts through my panic and I try to calm down.  Straightening my shoulders I ask, “How?”

“Come here,” she says reaching out to me with both hands.  I move closer until we’re inches from each other.  She takes my wrists and I immediately feel anchored to her, not just physically, but emotionally, too.

“Close your eyes, Lily.  I want you to see yourself at the path, but this time I’ll be there with you.”

“Are we
drifting
, Sema?  I know how to do this.”

“No, we’re not
drifting
.  I’m taking us there physically.”

“Teleport?  You’re teleporting us?”

Before she can answer, once again I’m back in the dark woods standing to the side of the path, the rain pouring around us.  Beside me, true to her word, is Sema.  She’s holding on to my wrist while watching the scene before her intently.  I see that wearing a hooded cloak against the rain and I not – I’m immediately drenched.  Turning to me Sema says, “Remember, we are not in the
drifting
state, Lily, so be quiet and make no moves to be seen.  If we distract Tharin and the others, it may cost them their lives.  Do you understand?”

I nod, nervous and scared that I would cost Tharin, Julia and the rest of my soon-to-be family any harm.  I find Julia, watching her anxiously.  I know she can take of herself, but these are not Frank and Chris.  These are assassins and they are far more dangerous.  “What can I do to help?” I whisper to Sema without taking my eyes off Julia.  I feel myself react to a blow to the back of her head and it takes everything I have not to run to her when she falls.  The hooded attacker stands above her ready to give the final blow.  Screw this! 

I make to take off, but Sema holds me in place.  Her grip is unbelievably strong and I can’t seem to pry her fingers from me.  She pulls me back hard and then points back to the fight.  I turn in time to see her attacker reach up suddenly at his throat.  Tolan’s silver chains are twisted tightly around his neck, and with a hard jerk, Tolan sends Julia’s attacker flying, his head landing several feet from the rest of his body.  Tolan is instantly at Julia’s side, standing above her, his chains dancing protectively around them, stopping any attackers from coming in close. 

The attackers, moving like shadows, continue to endlessly come forth from the woods.  And then there are the giant dog-like beasts.  The old man seems to be able to handle them, but sooner or later they’ll overwhelm him, too.  I feel Sema stiffen beside me and with a release breath, she lets go of me and waves her hands before her.  She pulls her hands in and with a slow push, an energy pulse surges from her and spreads forth like an invisible wave.  The old man comes to a standstill and looks over at us.  He smiles at his wife and gives her a wink.  As Sema’s energy moves forward, every beast it touches drops to the ground fast asleep.  Her husband spins the stick overhead and acts as if the beasts are dropping because of him.  In doing so, he keeps the attention away from us.

The one fighting Tharin leaps back in a crouch and watches his own beast wobble on his legs before falling heavily to the ground fast asleep.  Without his pet to assist he’s at a disadvantage in his fight against Tharin.  Stepping back, he whistles and more men and beasts surge from the forest.  Three beasts are cut down by Tolan’s chains leaving an opening for a fourth to charge at him, taking him down.  I see another from the far end charging where Julia lies and my heart drops.  Without thinking I call for Cessa my attention fully on protecting Julia.

The black stealth, blacker than the shadows dancing about, rushes at Julia, leaping over her and hits head-on with the attacking beast.  Cessa is bigger than the large dogs and easily takes her prey down.  Her sharp fangs give a final twist at the dog’s neck, killing it.  As another cloaked attacker rushes at Julia with a blade in his hand.  Cessa cuts him off, taking him down fast.  She makes her way to Julia and crouches protectively over her, her hackles up, fangs showing and her tail whipping behind her as if with a mind of its own. 

I turn to Sema whispering harshly, “I need to help them.”

“Don’t force me to send you back, Lilianethia,” she threatens followed by a stern look.  “If you go now, you will get Tharin killed.”

“Tharin is fine, it’s Julia who needs me,” I beg, turning back to see two flashes flying into the midst of the melee.  Ziri is dropped unceremoniously near Tharin, but rolls out and is quickly on his feet as a black dog leaps at him.  He easily catches it, but instead of throwing it aside, he slams it to the ground followed by a knee in the gut.  The animal remains motionless.  Ziri is up and tosses his cape as he pulls from behind him a sword similar to Tharin’s but without the fire dancing about it.  Out of nowhere another short blade appears – a blade as silver as Tolan’s chains.  Daggers are flying everywhere and the sound of deflections from rings and blades ring throughout the rainy night.

Tolan!  I quickly turn to locate him and see that Alorn is at his cousin’s side, his blades in both hands as they move in quick succession to slice through his opponents.  It’s as if he’s performing a fluid dance with the blades.  He spins and turns sending blood and rain about him like aerobatic splashes as if by design keeping tempo with his dance-like form.

I catch a glimpse of Mellis and I have a hard time keeping track.  Mellis is using his speed to do run-by attacks moving through the attackers at breakneck speed – slashing and stabbing, taking out opponents as he goes. 

“Enough! TeaSemalienna, come to me!” calls the old man, his voice booming over the chaos.

He stands in the midst of the fighting with his stick over his head.  His hand reaches out to Sema and with speed that rivals Mellis, she appears at his side.  I move to follow but find my feet routed to the spot.  I look up in time to see Tharin’s surprised look to see me at the same time his opponent does.  But I don’t care, all I can think of, all I can focus on, is Julia lying motionless with Cessa remaining at her side.

I watch as Sema stands with her back against her husband’s and together they reach for the heavens.  Bolts of lightning are pulled from the sky called forth by the old couple, capturing the bolts with open palms.  They bring their hands down and spread their arms to the side sending lightning out into the fray – hitting every attacker and their beasts.  The unfortunate scream of the men and high wailing from the beasts fill the air and I place my hands over my ears trying to block out the sound of death around me. 

It takes me a second to realize that Tharin is holding me close to him trying to bar the noise from my ears.  It wasn’t necessary, but I hold on to him anyway.  I start to shake and he tightens his hold, his face close to mine and I can feel his breath on me.  I shift my head to stare up at him and I’m captured by his look of longing.  And time stands still. 

My eyes lower to his lips.  The feel of his chest and arms around me arouse unfamiliar feelings and the unknown excitement of it sends chills through me.  I hold my breath as he leans in and kisses me.  The soft contact is like being hit by one of the lightning bolts.  He pulls away slightly, giving me a strange look.  I feel weak and lightheaded.  I hold on tighter, afraid to let him go.  His hold grows urgent as he runs his hand up my side, reaching for my face, holding it in place as he leans in to recapture my lips.  I feel the tender brush of his tongue lightly lick my upper lip and my world grows dark.  And in this darkness there is only Tharin.  I feel dizzy and I’m torn between passing out in his arms, and throwing my arms around him hard to pull him even closer.  All I know is that I never want him to let me go.

“Tharin, let her go.”  It’s like coming up for air after being underwater for far too long when Sema interrupts us.  I lay my head on his chest listening to his heartbeat, breathing hard.  I feel him shift slightly to glance behind him, and then he turns back to nuzzle my hair, giving me the sense that he has no intentions of ever letting go.

“Never,” whispers Tharin, a promise for my ears only. 

“The longer you hold her, the greater the risk of her being discovered,” says Sema patiently. 

Tharin sighs and straightens as he rubs my back.  He places his hands on my shoulders as he moves to kiss me on the top of my head.  I look up at him and there’s a strange look in his eyes that makes my stomach do flips.  He moves back from me and gives me that crooked smile of his and I have this sensation that unnerves me
–
a feeling
of
as if my
feet are being tickled with thousands of needles.  Sema steps between us, her back toward me as she faces Tharin.  With a wave of her hand we’re back in the kavi thela, sitting on the floor, soaking wet.

I stare at Sema for a moment, not recognizing who she is.  The sharp pain of being taken from Tharin hits me hard.  I drop my head into my hands, shaking it back and forth confused about where I stand with him.  All I know is that the feel of his closeness, of his lips on mine, lingers.  I don’t want the feeling to end.  As if to dig the thorn further into my side, Sema says, “Kalis and a few of the king’s personal guards will reach them shortly.  She will make sure that he and the others will be taken care of.”

I stare at the old woman and the knowing look she gives me spikes my anger.  Afraid of my emotions and what I might say, I get up to leave.  This time the door appears but Sema stops me.  “I’m sorry, Lily, it has to happen this way.”

I stop, “And Julia, will she be all right?”

“Julia is a strong.  She will be just fine.”

I nod again and was about to walk out of the thela when I turn back to her, “I know it’s dangerous, but I’d like to go back and see for myself.”  I want to know that Julia is all right, but mostly, traces of Tharin’s kiss still tickle my upper lip and it pulls at me to see him one more time.  “Please, Sema.  And after this, I won’t ask again…I promise.”

For a second, the old woman looks as if she would deny me, when a strange distant look comes over her face.  Sighing, she puts her hand out to me and I grab at it eagerly.  She holds on for a moment asking, “Are you sure you want to do this?”

I look at her curiously and decide that her concern is for my safety.  I nod and I’m grateful that she would do this for me.  Once again, I find myself at the path, but this time we are hidden behind one of the giant oaks…and I wish I were anywhere else but here. 

~ * ~

Chapter
Seventeen

~
Tharin
~

I watch as Sema takes Lily from me…again.  If there were any doubts I had of Lily’s innocence, her response to my kiss put all doubts away.  The image of her soaking wet, breathing heavily with conflicting emotions of fear, innocence and longing in her amber eyes lingers before me.  Her mouth slightly open and without thinking, she innocently licked at her upper lip causing me to want her more than ever.  If Sema didn’t step between us when she did I would have taken Lily from this place and back to our little clearing.  There I would strip away all of her confusion and fears.  I would teach her all that she’s read or heard about and had longed to experience firsthand.  I take a deep breath as I find myself having trouble breathing regularly.