The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Three: Crown of Ice Page 30

  This couldn’t be happening. The gods were punishing him for allowing this game to continue. After all the talk of trying to improve his image with the Ovatai, somehow he managed to always do the one thing which spiraled him deeper into the hole he dug. There would be no forgiveness for this slight. Regardless of whom his intended target had been.

  He was trembling by the time he reached Neomi’s side, unsure of what to do in a situation so precarious as this. Her expression was impossible to read. The thrashing blue of her eyes was brighter in the dark of night, staring straight ahead, as if contemplating all the terrible things she would do to him. To his relief she was unarmed. Not that it mattered. The Ovatai didn’t need a physical weapon to cause harm if they wanted to accomplish it enough. “I am so sorry,” he breathed, fumbling with his hands in the air, wanting to brush the snow away from her face while at the same time he knew it would only make things worse if he touched her. This was a disaster. What could he possibly do or say which would make her not want to strike him dead? “Neomi, please forgive me. I was aiming for Gadiel. I did not realize you were there.”

  “What are you fools doing?” she asked icily. The coldness of her tone only added to Edric’s discomfort, his eyes glancing toward Callum for some direction on what he should do. His friend looked equally aghast, moving swiftly across the snow to where they were standing.

  “It is my fault, Neomi,” Callum replied, the steadiness of his voice impressive to Edric’s racing mind. How did he do it? They were facing the wrath of an Ovatai warrior in the middle of nowhere and still he presented himself with the calm and dignity of a proud soldier. “Please accept my apologies and assurances that it will never happen again. I will see the men back to the tent so you can rest in peace for the remainder of the evening.”

  “You still have not told me what you were doing. Why do you fight one another? Is there some conflict I should be aware of before we venture further west? If so, it needs to be dealt with accordingly or I will have you all sent back to Tanispa where you belong.”

  Edric’s mind was a blur. How could he explain this to her? She believed them to be angry with one another yet the Ovatai weren’t the type to understand frivolous games. But he had to try. If he didn’t, she would continue to think his attack against her was in some way malicious. “There is no conflict,” he started, clearing his throat. This wasn’t going to go over well. He just wanted to get it over with. “It is a game we play during the winter in Tanispa. One might even consider it a military training exercise. Those who play use snow packed into small balls to throw at one another while you try to avoid being struck by them.”

  “A game?” Neomi peered at him in confusion. “Why would you use snow as a weapon in that manner?”

  “Because the goal isn’t to injure each other. The game is supposed to be fun, not dangerous. Here…” leaning forward Edric gathered up a handful of snow, packing it tightly into a ball under his gloved hands. Satisfied with the outcome he offered it to Neomi, praying silently that she would accept what he was about to suggest. “I was out of line for what I did. If you wish to take your retribution, I will not run away. It is only fair. I’m not sure what more I can offer to express my regret for the insult I have caused.”

  Taking the snow from Edric’s hand Neomi looked it over carefully. He waited, breath held, afraid of what her decision would be. Whatever it was, he would accept it without argument. He had to take responsibility for his actions.

  “You want me to hit you with this?” she asked, rolling the snow casually in her hand.

  “Well, I would not necessarily say I want you to, but I deserve it for what I have done.”

  “And you do not think I could strike you if you ran?”

  Edric blinked, surprised by the implication of her question. “No,” he stammered. “That was not my meaning at all. I simply meant…”

  “Run,” she interjected calmly. “I will take my retribution the honorable way.”

  Confused by her orders Edric stumbled backward. He wasn’t expecting her to accept the offer. To consider running from her only added to his discomfort. What if she missed? The failure to strike him would add to the insult. He needed to think of a way to make her think he was trying to escape while still leaving himself open for the hit. “Neomi, are you certain you want to do this?”

  “I said run, Edric,” she took a step forward. “If you do not move in the next five seconds I will see that I injure you worse than my bola.”

  A hard nudge from Gadiel caused Edric to trip over his own feet, moving backward at a steady pace, unaware of the layout behind him. Run. It was a direct order. Callum couldn’t chide him for doing it. Inhaling a deep breath he spun around, racing into the darkness, his only light that of the full moon hanging in the sky overhead. Each star twinkled as if laughing at him. He couldn’t worry about them right now. There was no sound behind him but he knew that meant nothing. Neomi was light on her feet. She was capable of maneuvering over the snow in such a way that it wouldn’t slow her down.

  The lack of light was disconcerting. He was unfamiliar with the landscape. An occasional rise and fall in the ground left him struggling to maintain his speed and balance, more than once practically diving face-first into the snow. It wasn’t safe for them to move too far from the camp. Each step he took brought him further from the safety of the others, deeper into the darkness, away from the flickering light of the torches set up outside the tents.

  All around him the wind began to pick up, blowing snow in every direction until he couldn’t see more than a few inches in front of his face. Neomi. It had to be her. He’d seen the same trick when they first arrived in Nahedu, only much stronger, the energy manipulated by the numerous Ovatai warriors stationed around the camp. This was less intense yet no less intimidating. A frightening hunting tactic that he would rather not experience used against him. Unable to see well enough to move, he faltered in his steps, waving his arms to try and clear the air in front of him. It was no use. The wind was too strong, the snow thickening with every pass of his hand in front of his face.

  Seemingly out of nowhere a hard impact slammed into Edric’s face, the icy surface of the snowball he’d given to Neomi splattering into a flurry of white flakes down the front of him and up his nose from the sharp intake of breath which came with the surprise attack. A soft laugh reached his ears, carried on the air like a pleasant chime in a gentle breeze. He’d never heard Neomi laugh before. Thinking on it, he couldn’t recall even seeing her smile. The sound was beautiful. Like that of an angel’s voice drifting on the wind from the heavens. It was hard to believe such a feminine sound could come from a woman as hardened as her.

  He was blinded by the snow. Neomi was perfectly concealed in the white blur, the sound of her laughter slowly ebbing away into silence, replaced by the rush of the wind as it whipped around Edric’s body. Spinning around he tried to catch his bearings. What direction was he facing? The camp was behind him… but which way was that?

  Out of nowhere he felt another ball of snow slam into his head followed by another chime-like laugh. She was enjoying this. She was making a fool of him and loving every minute of it. Edric refused to stand there and allow her to keep going. He’d given her the offer of a single strike in exchange for the one he unwittingly landed on her. A second granted him the right to retaliate. With caution, of course. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her but he also didn’t want to play into her attempts at making him look weak. Steeling his resolve Edric pushed forward through the blowing snow, shielding his eyes to peer into the midst of the white wall in front of him. “That was two!” he called out. She would hear him. He didn’t have any doubt about that. “I thought the agreement was one. The rules of the game would say that I have the right to come after you again.”

  “I dare you to try.”

  Edric froze at the sound of her voice. It was no more than a whisper, blown into his ear as if she was standing directly behind him. Twisting his upper body he
looked to his right, shivering from the cold rush of wind. Where was she? Her complexion and clothing allowed her to blend too well with the surroundings. If she was an enemy, he would be at her mercy.

  His legs had barely moved him forward another step when he felt something slam into his backside, pushing him down to the ground with tremendous force. A hard pressure at his back indicated the knee of his opponent pinning him there, securing him in place, helpless to whatever attack they threw. Was this Neomi? What if the Ythes had found them? He needed to get up. Regardless of the game this started as, he couldn’t forget that they were in the middle of a war. It was too dangerous to simply assume his assailant was friendly.

  Palms flat to the ground he pushed upward with all the strength he could muster. The pressure at his back intensified, pressing his stomach into the snow with incredible strength. At his resistance his opponent leaned forward, the weight of their body now descended upon him, reaching for his head, a pair of cold, slender fingers weaving through his hair to get a better grip. Instinctively Edric brought his head backward to lash at his enemy, preventing them from getting a hold. Twisting his body he tried to get a solid grip on some part of his assailant’s arm or clothing. Something. Anything he could use to gain leverage.

  Blindly grasping behind him, he managed to find an opening, tightening his hold while shifting his weight to one side. It was working. He could feel his body slide partially out from under the person on top of him, snow still blowing wildly into his eyes. He struggled against his opponent. Whoever it was possessed remarkable strength and skill in combat. Based on the continued utilization of the wind and snow he was convinced it was an Ovatai warrior. But where was Neomi? Could she not see what was going on? Maybe they had her too. He needed to get away so he could find her and call the others. Without their weapons there was little he could do against a full attack if the Ythes had found them.

  In a final burst of strength from the adrenaline coursing through his veins Edric flung his opponent to one side, rolling in the snow to pin them on their back. Straddling the body he leaned forward to get a good look at his foe, gasping in surprise to find Neomi’s face staring up at him, her gentle laughter ringing through his head as if from a dream. “Neomi,” he breathed in disbelief. “You scared me to death. I thought you were a Ythes.”

  “You are funny when you are frightened,” she smirked. “Is this game always so rough? It seems too dangerous for a mere children’s game.”

  Breathing hard Edric tried to regain his composure. It was Neomi. She was safe…and laughing at him. She thought this was funny? His heart pounded so hard inside his chest he feared it would burst forth at any moment. “So you do have a sense of humor,” he mumbled, sinking his weight slightly in relief. “I was beginning to think you didn’t know how to smile, but it seems you have proven me wrong.”

  “I smile at your foolishness.”

  “My foolishness?”

  “Yes. Your ridiculous games. If only you knew how absurd you look right now. Had I been a Ythes, I could have killed you easily.”

  “And this is why you smile?”

  Neomi’s chest heaved from a slight laugh. “Do you have a problem with my sense of humor?”

  “No, not at all,” Edric whispered, captivated by every detail of her face. For the first time he was able to see her, up-close, away from the watchful eyes of Moinie. She made no move to fight him the way she always did before. The excitement of the fight must be distracting her from my touch… “You are almost pretty when you smile,” he whispered, afraid of her reaction to a direct compliment. It seemed better to mask it in a mild insult. A form of speech she was more familiar with.

  “Almost?” she scoffed. Immediately her smile disappeared, staring up at him through the lashes of her narrowed lids. She tried to stand from where she laid on the ground under Edric’s hold. His hands nearly lost their grip, struggling to sink his weight and hold her in place, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of besting him a second time. The only way he was going to earn her respect was to prove that he wasn’t easily defeated.

  Pressing his chest against hers he laid on top of her, tucking his head to avoid being struck in the face by her thrashing body. A light floral fragrance emanated from her skin. He recognized it instantly, surprised by the familiarity of the perfume, even more curious as to where she had gotten it. “Lavender,” he mumbled, the sound of his voice easing Neomi’s wild attempts to get free. Turning her head she stared at him, the soft smirk returning to her lips as if she’d won some game he wasn’t aware they were playing.

  “Your Vor’shai woman said it would get your attention. I must admit I did not think you were smart enough to notice.”

  “So you are making friends with Sahra, now? If I were you, I would take what she says with a grain of salt. Though why she is sharing details about how to catch my attention leaves me somewhat unsettled.”

  His thoughts were racing. So many questions he wanted to ask! He didn’t know where to begin; or if he should even try. Cooperation from Neomi was rare. The fact that she was allowing him to speak with her now was a miracle. Slowly things started to come into focus, his heart practically coming to a stop inside his chest at the realization of where he was. What he was doing. His hands were clasped tightly over Neomi’s wrists, pinning her to the ground underneath him, and yet she said nothing. No harsh command for him to stop touching her. He’d been waiting for it. The sting of her hand across his face… or worse. From their position he was afraid to think of what she was capable of doing.

  Carefully he lifted his head away from her shoulder, braced for the impact of her strike. When their eyes met he thought he heard Neomi’s breath catch. A faint hesitation in the rise and fall of her chest. No. He had to be imagining things. Maybe he was hurting her. He was a slender man but he possessed a great deal of muscle from his training with Cadell. At times he didn’t know his own strength.

  Distracted by her eyes Edric gazed down at Neomi’s face. The snow began to settle, the control Neomi exhibited on their surroundings slipping away to leave them in the silence of a soft, gentle breeze blowing over them where they lay. A single question nagged at the back of his mind. It was selfish. The answer would prove nothing while at the same time he wanted to ask. He needed to know for the sake of his own racing mind. “I am curious about one thing,” he said quietly, the sound of his voice barely above a whisper in the quiet of the night. “If Sahra told you the perfume would catch my attention, why did you apply it?”

  For the first time since their arrival in Ethrysta he saw a flash of uncertainty in Neomi’s eyes. She stared up at him, her brow furrowed. It was funny to him. This woman who prided herself on her confidence. She was speechless. Caught at her own game. “I was testing you,” she replied, her breathing more rapid than before. “Like I said, I did not think you were observant enough to notice. I wanted to know if Vor’shai men are so easily distracted by trivial things as Sahra claimed them to be.”

  “And you happened to choose me as your test subject?”

  “You were the one she named to be affected by the oil.”

  “Have I passed or failed your experiment?”

  “I have not decided yet.” Neomi squirmed under Edric’s grasp, as if only just noticing him on top of her. She exhaled, the sound of her breath somewhat haggard, trembling uncomfortably. “How many times must I tell you not to touch me before you finally keep your hands to yourself ?”

  This time it was Edric who smirked at her unease. He had her off her guard. Despite her words, she failed to struggle against him the way he expected her to. She seemed almost content to lay there, the narrow slits of her eyes devoid of the usual anger he was accustomed to seeing when she scolded him in the past. In a way he hated to let her go. The chance of him seeing her like this again was unlikely. Unfortunately he couldn’t keep her there forever. Moinie would come looking for them and if she discovered him on top of her, she would see him dead.

  Releasing his
hands from around her wrists he sat up, still straddled over her legs where he landed during their skirmish. The cold was starting to get to him again. Adrenaline prevented him from noticing it until now, the cool wind biting at the bare skin of his face and neck, tingling from the exposure to the frigid temperature. He needed to get back to the camp. If he stayed much longer in the cold he would find himself vulnerable and sick, the way he was when first reaching Nahedu.

  A low growl caught his attention, sending a wave of panic through his body. It was a menacing sound. Low. Deep. The source was unknown, invisible under the cloak of darkness, the only indication of its presence that of a pair of slitted yellow eyes from the shadows. Animalistic. Edric wasn’t sure if he was comforted or frightened by the discovery that the intrusion was not from a Ythes. Instinct moved his hand to his waist where his sword-belt was usually worn, cursing silently at the memory of taking it off in the tent. He was completely unarmed. His only hope was that Neomi might have some weapon on her person which he wasn’t aware of.

  “It is a Boeikath,” she said suddenly, the sound of her voice pulling Edric from his thoughts as he continued to stare at the narrowed eyes in the darkness. “They are not aggressive creatures unless you give them reason to be. Remove yourself from me so I can send it away.”

  In a single motion Edric was on his feet, reaching his hand toward Neomi. It came as no surprise when she dismissed him, pulling herself up without acknowledging his offer of help. He needed to remember that she wasn’t like the women in Tanispa. While he might think he was being a gentleman, Neomi could very easily take offense to every little thing he did. To his relief she seemed to ignore the slight.