The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Three: Crown of Ice Read online

  “So you believe it?” Callum’s brow rose quizzically. “You think this beast really exists?”

  “If you mean do I think the Ovatai are telling the truth, then yes. I think they truly saw something of a colossal size which seemed threatening to them. Whether or not it turns out to be the real Avaern is what I’m curious to find out.” Leaning back Edric propped his upper body on his hands, pondering the possibilities. Inside, he hoped the Ovatai were mistaken. It would be easier to destroy a mere beast than to take on something considered to be sent by the gods. Based on the legend Neomi told them, the real Avaern would likely kill them all. He didn’t want to think that they had come all the way here to die in a battle they had no chance in winning. “But, say it is the real thing,” he murmured. “How would we know how to kill it? Neomi said it herself that no one knows what the weapon was which the Ythes were sent to find and even if the Ythes did know, they aren’t going to tell us. Not with the state of relations between them and the Chief. We would be fighting against the Ythes and the Avaern which doesn’t bode well.”

  “I think identification of the weapon is what we’re hoping to find on this trip. Neomi mentioned a desire to search for journals. She must suspect the information is documented somewhere,” Callum added. “If she’s right, then this mission will be easier than we expected. We would just need to locate the weapon and destroy the beast.”

  “But what if the Ythes never found the weapon; or perhaps they discovered the weapon didn’t exist,” Gadiel suggested. “There has to be some reason why the Ythes didn’t kill the beast in the first place. It seems like a lot of trouble to go through in putting something like the Avaern to sleep and burying it underground. In which case, we could try to figure out their secret in accomplishing that if death isn’t an option.”

  “That is just a way of avoiding the problem,” Callum frowned, stroking his chin thoughtfully. “They might not have been able to find the weapon they thought was necessary to kill the Avaern, but they might not have weighed all of their options. Life was a lot less complex back then. There were fewer battle methods known to soldiers of that time. Maybe they overlooked something. A minor weakness or detail which would bring the beast down. I refuse to believe it is indestructible.”

  Shifting his gaze away from Callum, Edric cleared his throat, unsure of whether he should say what was on his mind. The description of the Avaern reminded him of another beast he and the others had come across on their journey to Luquarr. In battle they found the creature nearly impossible to take down with their limited resources. It was a perfect example for them to base their thoughts now. His concerns lie in Callum’s reaction to the memory. The monster they fought nearly killed Callum. It wasn’t a topic anyone liked to breach in his presence out of fear that he might hold some lingering distress from the incident which he managed to keep hidden.

  The mere thought of the creature from the past caused him to shudder. At the time he hadn’t personally taken on the beast. It was a sea creature known as a divastru. Sheer size alone made it a frightening sight to behold, the thick scaled skin deflecting most of the arrows fired while use of a sword had been considered a waste of time. If the Avaern was anything like the divastru, Edric had no trouble believing it to be nearly indestructible. The real fear lay in the fact that the Avaern wasn’t confined to water the way the divastru had been. Simply seeking dry land wouldn’t be enough to save them.

  “We should be looking at this from a different angle,” he started, his gaze resting on Callum, sympathetic of the torment his words might bring to his friend. He didn’t want to remind anyone of that horrible night. After almost forty years the images remained ingrained in his own mind, rekindling nightmares even now at the mere thought. “If this Avaern is what they claim it to be, then we need to consider other opponents we have faced which resemble it and look for methods which could be successful in taking it down. Neither one of you can deny the fact that this would not be the first time we have fought a beast of this size.”

  What little color left in Callum’s face drained away. It struck at Edric’s heart to see the misery in his friend’s eyes before they closed, concealing his obvious discomfort at the memory. The word divastru didn’t have to be spoken for Callum to know what Edric referred to. “That might not be the best example to consider,” he whispered, stepping away from Edric and Gadiel. “Perhaps you have forgotten the way that battle ended. The divastru killed many brave soldiers before sinking our ship to the bottom of the sea and nearly drowning myself and Aiva. We barely touched it in combat. What you are suggesting is that we evaluate a failed battle against a beast far beyond our capabilities to destroy. If that is the comparison you hold with the Avaern then we don’t stand a chance.”

  “What else is there for us to compare it to?” Edric sighed. “We can’t sit here and pretend the Avaern can be defeated the same as an army of men. It isn’t rational. Men have different weaknesses. We know how to exploit those, but that does nothing to help us against a beast of this proportion. Ambushes and creative attack formations won’t have an effect on it.”

  “I have an idea, Captain. If you don’t mind me saying,” Gadiel raised his brow quizzically in Callum’s direction. “Honestly, we waste our breath discussing ways to defeat a creature we have yet to see with our own eyes. What we need to concentrate on is finding the Avaern, without alerting it to our presence, and watch it. Analyze it. See what possible weaknesses and strengths it has before we hang our heads and consider ourselves defeated. I don’t know about you two, but I would rather not die in this god forsaken place. How about we change the subject and try to think of more pleasant things rather than burying ourselves before we’re even dead.”

  Callum’s eyes lifted from the floor, nodding to Gadiel in agreement. “I concur. Did you have a subject in mind? I am sadly a terrible conversationalist when my mind is weighted.”

  “We could discuss the scenery here in Ethrysta.” Gadiel’s eyes slowly drifted to where Edric was seated, a devious glint in their green depths. “I caught Edric admiring it on our way here. Not that I blame him. What man could resist staring when something so perfect is dangled in front of his face?”

  “Gadiel, stop,” Edric shifted uncomfortably. This wasn’t appropriate. Death seemed a better topic than continuing in the direction Gadiel was going. To be caught discussing the Ovatai women in this manner would destroy them before the Avaern had a chance.

  Gadiel chuckled to himself. “The redness in his cheeks belies his innocence.”

  “Do you refer to the ladies?” Callum asked, confused by the vagueness of Gadiel’s jabs. “If that’s the case then I must insist you both stop looking at the scenery and focus on the mission.”

  “Oh, I’m focused. I can’t say the same for our Prince, however,” Gadiel grinned. “He was rather hypnotized by our fearless leader.”

  “Stop being facetious. I was not hypnotized by anything.”

  “I beg to differ. Do you have any idea how long I was at your side before you noticed me? Completely enthralled. Had she given any more sway to those hips, you might have lost consciousness.”

  “That’s not true, Gadiel.” Edric inhaled, straightening his back, uneasy with the line of jests at his expense. Why did it bother him so much? The girls were safely tucked away in their own tent, well out of hearing range. It was the truth which left him feeling ashamed. Gadiel was right. No amount of denial could change that. Neomi’s figure had occupied his eyes for a length of time when they first left Nahedu. At first it had been curiosity of what she looked like under the fur wrapped around her. When the fur came off a short distance into their journey, he hadn’t been able to think of anything but the perfect curve of her body until Gadiel disrupted the view.

  Humiliated by the realization he averted his gaze, staring down at his hands clasped tightly in his lap, clenching and unclenching his fists. He felt Gadiel’s eyes on him, amused by his obvious discomfort. “You know I mean nothing by it,” Gadiel chortle
d. “If I claimed not to have peeked myself, I would be lying. Those pants of hers are rather distracting.”

  “Please. I would rather not talk about her pants.” This was absolute torture. It had taken him since dinner to get the image of Neomi out of his head. Did Gadiel have any inkling of what a task that was? Edric couldn’t remember the last time he’d found a woman so attractive. In truth, he didn’t think any of the women in Tanispa could compare to Neomi. But he couldn’t think about her. She was forbidden, in more ways than one, and to touch her meant certain death at the hands of the Chief. Moinie made that clear when they were in Sivaeria.

  “She has other features we could discuss, if you prefer,” Gadiel continued. “Call me crass, but if there’s a chance I’m going to die in the next few weeks, I’m going to take as much enjoyment out of everything around me as I can. We’re entitled to look as long we don’t touch.”

  “Yes,” Callum nodded. “The Ovatai dislike when people touch their things. Edric said as much last night. So I suggest you both keep your hands to yourself. Perhaps it’s merely my opinion, but I find it hard to believe her pants are worth risking your head over.”

  Gadiel’s eyes rolled heavenward, a quiet laugh escaping his lips. “I’m not so sure about that, Captain. Have you seen those pants?”

  “No, I cannot say I have.”

  “We shouldn’t be discussing her like this,” Edric shook his head, rising to his feet in a fluid motion. “She is a respectable woman. I cannot sit here and listen to you say such uncouth things about her.”

  “All I want is for you to admit that you were looking, Your Highness. The more you deny it, the more of a liar I know you are.”

  Edric’s lips parted in preparation to speak, the words falling silent on the tip of his tongue. Nothing he could say would convince Gadiel. They were both men. And he couldn’t argue where his eyes had been focused when Gadiel came to his side. He was caught red-handed. It was only digging him a deeper hole by continuing his futile denial. “Fine,” he sighed, waving his hand, exasperated by the awkward admission. “I was looking. But it was nothing more than that. Only a fool would pursue her. She seems a mantis type woman who probably beheads her mates after she sleeps with them. Maybe that’s why we’ve never seen her husband.”

  “So you’ve considered her mating habits?” Gadiel smirked. “My goodness, Edric. I didn’t think you would admit so much.”

  “You are putting words in my mouth.”

  “You did mention what you believe she does with a male after sleeping with him. I have to agree with Gadiel on this one,” Callum chimed in, mildly entertained by the horrified expression on Edric’s face.

  This was ridiculous. Gadiel was throwing him off his guard. No matter what he said it would be twisted for the sake of continuing the joke. It was useless for him to even try. “You’re right,” he exhaled in defeat. Although it wasn’t entirely true, he would say what they wanted to hear simply to get Gadiel to leave him alone. “I thought of nothing but undressing her from the moment we left Nahedu,” he drawled. “In fact, I’m thinking about her right now. All alone in that tent with two other girls. Who knows what they are wearing at this very moment.”

  Gadiel’s smile widened, wicked in its design. “I could go see,” he winked. “While I’m there I could pass along a message to Neomi. Maybe she would let you get a closer look at those pants of hers.”

  “Don’t be stupid, Gadiel,” Edric rolled his eyes. “We need to get some sleep. Morning will come faster than we think.”

  Gathering his cloak from the pile of blankets on the floor Gadiel wrapped it around himself, securing the clasp at his throat. Edric watched him, puzzled, admittedly worried. He wouldn’t actually go to the women…

  “Well?” Gadiel asked. “Are you coming with me or should I try to convince her to come here?”

  “This is juvenile. Sit down before you make a fool of yourself.” Edric was on his feet in an instant, blocking the path between Gadiel and the exit. He couldn’t let him go. It was absolute madness for him to let this game get so far out of control.

  “When we work in a profession where our lives could be forfeit at any moment, we are allowed to participate in juvenile behavior from time to time. You know what they say. Never waste a moment when it might be your last.” With a flourish he slipped around Edric’s solid form, disappearing through the flap into the darkness outside. Frantically Edric glanced between Callum and the exit, appalled that Callum said nothing to stop him.

  “You aren’t seriously going to let him go, are you?”

  “He is merely playing with you, Edric,” Callum chuckled, extinguishing the coals in preparation for bed. “Just have a seat. If we let him go, he will grow weary of the joke and return in a few minutes. I have seen him do this before. He hasn’t the courage to follow through with something so moronic…”

  The sound of voices drifting faintly on the air outside the tent sent them both into silence. One was unmistakably female, though her words were inaudible, lost to the distance between them and wherever Gadiel had gone. Immediately Callum’s eyes met with Edric’s, an expression of concern contorting their features at the thought of what Gadiel was doing. He was at the tent with the women. With every exchange of words it became more apparent that Gadiel’s company was none other than Sahra, her voice lifting high enough for the men to hear her invite Gadiel inside.

  “He wouldn’t…” Callum muttered. Snapping into motion he grabbed for his gloves, slipping them onto his hands while pushing through the flap into the cold, leaving his cloak behind in his rush. Edric followed his lead, quickly running outside in fear of what they might find. To his relief he saw Sahra and Gadiel standing in front of the other tent alone, their laughter filling the air at the sight of Callum and Edric bursting forth into the blowing snow.

  “You bastard!” Edric shouted, a broken laugh creating a slight tremor to his words. He was relieved to find Neomi nowhere in sight while at the same time he couldn’t help the frustration he felt toward Gadiel in that moment. Such a juvenile prank. They were in the middle of a war in an unfamiliar country. This was no time to be playing games. “Get back here so we can get to sleep. You’re going to wake the whole camp.”

  “I haven’t spoken with the ladies yet. You have to have patience!”

  Weaving his fingers through his hair Edric shook his head. This was his fault. If he would have just kept his mouth shut instead of feeding fuel to Gadiel’s fire, none of this would be happening. Instead they were at risk of drawing Neomi’s attention whether it was Gadiel’s plan or not. They needed to get him away from the women and back inside the tent where they belonged.

  Out of the corner of his eye Edric saw Callum reach down toward the ground, digging his fingers into the snow. His movements were casual. Lacking the concern he exhibited while inside the tent. Curious, Edric watched as Callum lifted a handful of the thick snow into his palm, patting it gently with his other hand to form a round ball. “You know what I have not done in years?” he murmured.

  Edric stiffened, unsure of what to do. Everyone had lost their minds. Did they not remember where they were? This was no time for horseplay. “Callum, we shouldn’t…”

  “We could use a few moments of peace, Edric,” Callum stated calmly, shaping the snowball carefully in his hands. “The battle has not yet begun. There is no business to be conducted tonight and we are all distracted by the thoughts which haunt us and prevent us from directing the attention to this mission that it requires. Perhaps a brief opportunity to let go of our worries would be beneficial to our cause. The other men are not around to witness our behavior. I think Gadiel has a point. We should seize the moment while we have it so that our worries are less likely to become detrimental to our survival.”

  Winding his arm back Callum let the ball of snow fly through the air toward Gadiel, the impact creating a dull thud audible from where they stood, flurries of the white flakes dispersing in all directions, leaving behind a white spot where it
connected with Gadiel’s chest. Edric wanted to laugh. It was humorous, the look on Gadiel’s face, combined with Callum’s laughter. For that brief moment it was as if they were back home in Tanispa, enjoying the first snowfall of the winter the way he and Callum used to do when they were young boys.

  Gadiel wasted no time in retaliation, scooping up a handful of snow to throw toward Edric and Callum, the blast of cold whipping against the side of Edric’s head. There was no stopping it now. No amount of arguing would sway the others from the snow which had already begun to fly through the air between them, an occasional thud connecting against Edric’s body in the crossfire. Slowly he gave in to the laughter, reaching down to arm himself against the next volley. Before he could throw anything he felt a heavy weight collide with him, knocking him to the ground, the cold immediately seeping through his clothes from the contact with the snow. Callum was on top of him, a handful of unpacked snow in his hand, pressing it against Edric’s face with a triumphant laugh.

  Defending himself against the assault Edric thrust his hips upward to disrupt Callum’s balance, causing him to fall forward, just enough to allow Edric an opportunity to escape, rolling out from underneath him. He was barely to his feet again when he felt snow pelting him from near the tents, turning to find Gadiel and Sahra, merciless in their attack. Quickly he reached down to gather another ball, gathering momentum with the twist of his body to release the ammunition toward Gadiel. A look of utter horror crossed his face to realize his mistake too late. There in front of the tent he saw Neomi standing at Sahra’s side, her countenance stern, no doubt angered to see their childish antics. He couldn’t stop the snow which was already in motion, the aim having been intended for Gadiel who no longer stood where he’d been when Edric initialized the throw. Desperate to warn Neomi of the impending strike he shouted for her to duck, grimacing at the sight of the snow moving as if in slow motion, connecting solidly with the side of Neomi’s face.