Chapter Twenty Two
The portal didn’t allow sight, only feelings of falling through a void, no up nor down. Kevan’s stomach lodged into her throat, competing for the space while she screamed. It all ended with too much light and noise, and a hard landing slammed her to the ground, as a warm wetness splashed across her face, her nose assaulted by the smell of blood and entrails.
Sounds of crashing metal against metal, grunts of men in combat surrounded them. Kevan scrambled to her feet, ducking to avoid the swinging sword headed in her direction. Caleb jumped to her rescue and pushed her out of the way, knocking her to her knees, blocking the enemy sword with his. She didn’t know when he had been able to get his blade out. The warriors seemed to do that with such enviable ease; she was going to have to talk to him about that. Kevan came to her feet, watching her man move with grace and power. Turned on by how beautiful he was, she was distracted until Leila’s screams broke through to her.
Looking around a wide, long field, Kevan spotted Leila across the battle, and took off running. A soldier raised his sword with deadly intent at Leila, so Kevan barreled into his back, knocking him out of the way. Kevan grabbed Leila, yanking her to her feet, pulling her out of the middle of the battle that they had dropped into. Looking at Leila, she stopped as a certainty swamped her.
“Stay,” she yelled at Leila, before she raced back into the middle of the melee, looking for Caleb. He was enjoying himself way too much. Kevan ran into the man he was fighting with, knocking him out of the way just as Caleb swung his sword, missing Kevan as she hit the ground.
“Kevan!” he roared. He pulled her into his arms to protect her. “Get the hell out of here,” he ordered her.
“I will, but he’s one of the good guys!” she yelled at him. Caleb gave a look of shock.
“Not possible,” Caleb countered, as he blocked another attack. “You’re wrong.”
“Don’t argue, trust. The uniforms, they are the bad guys. Now big boy, show me your stuff, and kick their butts.” She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before she ducked out from his arms to let him do his thing, while she did hers. Caleb looked around at the battle that they had landed in, and did a quick assessment. The guards, or uniforms as Kevan had called them, definitely had the overwhelming numbers. He knew the uniforms, but Kevan was so sure, and he had to trust her; she had proven more than once that she was right on with her instincts.
Caleb let out a fighting roar, getting the other cairbare warriors’ attention, before he turned his sword on the nearest uniform. They saw, hesitated for a moment, then followed his lead and turned against the ones that just moments before they had been fighting alongside. It was the turning point of the battle.
Kevan ducked and weaved as she attempted to stay out of the way of the fighting. She spotted Eve and Kaitlyn, just as they jumped onto the back of a man that was coming after them. A smile lit her face, and she sprang into action. Racing towards her sisters, she attempted to grab onto the threads of powers she could feel pulsing within. She came within a few feet of her sisters, and threw her arms up to send a bolt of energy into their attacker’s butt. Nothing happened. Kevan ground to a stop. She attempted again to grab the threads of power; she could feel it tingling in her fingertips, and she threw her hands out in front of her, but again nothing happened. Screaming with frustration, she gave up, then picked up a fallen sword, taking her anger out on the soldier grappling with her sisters. The man lost his guts, and his neck barely held the head.
The battle carried on for what seemed eons. It hadn’t been going so well for the rebels, until the strangers had changed sides unexpectedly. The overwhelming numbers began to dwindle as these five men worked in harmony. To see such poetry in motion, their skills honed over the centuries, producing spilled blood and guts, carnage and fear, the injured and the dead littering the ground at the cairbares’ feet was something that no one would forget. The warriors battled back the King’s guard. Caleb knew that was whom they were fighting, for at one time, he and Marcus had trained most of the guards, but he didn’t recognize anyone that they were fighting, only the style. But, then again, he didn’t know how much time had passed since the last time that they had been here.
Finally, the last of the guards looked around, saw that they were losing, and turned tail and ran. Throwing his arms out, Caleb released a roar of victory, only to be cut off by metal pressed to his neck.
“Who are you?” the man demanded of Caleb. Kevan yelled, as she raced towards Caleb’s side, only to halt when Marcus grabbed her around the waist, stopping her from getting in the middle of them.
“Are you fucking kidding me!” she screamed at the man holding a sword millimeters from Caleb’s throat. “They saved your collective asses, and you’re holding a sword to his throat.”
“Quiet, Kevan,” Caleb growled, as wary men surrounded them. She watched in fear, terrified that she might lose Caleb, after insisting to him that they were the good guys.
“I ask you again, who are you? Where did you come from?” he demanded of Caleb, his sword never wavering.
“I would be happy to answer your questions,” Caleb stated, as he held his sword to his accusers throat. “Just not at the end of your sword, I’m afraid.”
“Oscar let him go,” the man standing behind ordered.
“Grey, we have no idea ...,” he argued, but the man stepped forward and put his hand on his sword arm, pushing it towards the ground.
“Oscar, let him go. We owe them an opportunity to speak, and I agree that the end of sword is not the way to possibly start a friendship.” The man called Oscar stared at Caleb for a moment, his distrust shining bright, but he stepped back, dropping his sword as he had been ordered, even though that was the last thing that he wanted to do. The other man stepped forward, looking to Caleb; it would appear that he was in charge.
“We thank you for your assistance; it was timely and welcome.” Caleb watched as something about this man triggered his memories. The man held out his hand to Caleb. “I am Greyson, and you are?” Caleb’s eyes widened with shock, as his memories flared to life of the man standing before him. It had been years, going by how much older than a boy Greyson was now.
“Greyson, as in Crown Prince Greyson?” Caleb questioned. He stepped towards Greyson, only to stop when a dozen men surrounded him, the ends of their swords pointing to some very personal areas of his body that he would rather not see harmed, holding him off and pissing Kevan off yet again.
“I knew you reminded me of someone. I don’t know why I didn’t see it. You’re so much like your father.” Grey pushed through his men, staring intently at Caleb and the others. “You knew my father?”
“Yes, which is why he would be so disappointed that you are fighting your guards,” Caleb argued. “They are trying to do their job of protecting you, so why are you fighting them?”
“You have no idea what you are talking about. Those aren’t my guards, and they aren’t trying to protect me, they are trying to kill me,” Greyson stated.
Caleb was silent as he took in what Greyson had just told them. He didn’t really understand. Tyrone was a well-loved and respected ruler, fair to all, so how could he have changed that much? “But your father always treated everyone fairly,” Caleb told Greyson. “I don’t understand. What happened that changed him so much?” Caleb relaxed his hold on his sword, which he had been gripping, ready to fight their way out if necessary.
“He was murdered,” Greyson ground out. The pain in his voice was apparent, shocking them into silence.
“Look guys, not to break up the pow wow, do you think it is such a great idea for us to be standing here? I mean, we’re a little exposed here, out in the middle of the field.” They all spun around, looking at Kaitlyn. “I mean, who knows how many more of the bad guys are around? Wouldn’t it make more sense for us to put the reunion aside for a minute, get our rears in gear, and ge
t while the going is good?” Marcus let Kevan go, and she raced straight into Caleb’s arms, while Marcus stared at Kaitlyn. Marcus shook his head.
“What?” Kaitlyn questioned.
“You are the oddest woman,” he stated, then turned back to the rest. “But she is correct. We should not be standing out in the open. Those guards that escaped may have gone for reinforcements, and it would be best if we were gone when they returned.”
“I don’t know who you are, but you are both right.” Greyson turned to his men, ordered them to gather up their wounded and dead, and to make their way to the far edge of the plain, right on the edge of the forest, on the opposite side from where the guards had run. They would wait there. When Kaitlyn attempted to ask what they were going to be waiting for, they just ignored her and carried on. It took time for them to make their way to where Greyson was leading them, but even weighed down with the few dead and the wounded, they made good time.
Soon they found themselves on the edge of a forest unlike any that Kevan had ever seen before. It was more than old, it was ancient, and the trees towered hundreds and hundreds of feet into the air. The bases were so large that it was like doing a full lap around a running track to get around the base of some of the trees at the edge of this old growth forest.
Kevan looked around the field, watching as they were preparing themselves to leave, but she just wasn’t sure where they were going. Looking at Caleb, she saw he was busy talking with Greyson; well it was more like arguing. She could see that Grey had said something that none of the guys seemed to like, and she watched Marcus grab Caleb’s arm and pull him away from Greyson and Oscar, the one that had held the sword to Caleb’s throat. Kevan moved to join them, only to have Kaitlyn stop her.
“Let them be,” Kaitlyn told her sister.
“I don’t want any of them hurt.”
“Kevan, as pissed as they seem, I don’t think that they will hurt each other. Now if someone wanted to wallop that arrogant prick Marcus. That I would pay to see.”
Kevan looked at her sister. “What did he do this time to piss you off?” Eve questioned as she and Leila joined them.
“Nothing, it’s just the general principle of it. He’s an ass, and he’s arrogant. The chance to see someone knock him down a peg or two, well,” Kaitlyn shrugged. “What can I say? It would be great fun to see someone ... Hey!” Kaitlyn whirled around to confront the person that had just smacked her in the ass, only to see Marcus glaring at her, his arms bulging as they crossed over his well-defined chest. Kaitlyn had to tear her eyes away from it, not liking the fact that he was able to distract her without even trying. It was annoying as hell. “What is your problem?” she demanded of him, as she resisted the urge to rub her ass where he had left his mark.
“You, obviously,” he growled. “Are you ready?”
“For what?” Kevan asked, smiling as she watched the frustration that washed over Kaitlyn’s face.
“For that,” Caleb told her, as he pointed to the sky. A commotion drew their attention skyward, and the men smiled at the almost simultaneous gasp that escaped from all four women.
Kaitlyn’s mouth dropped open, as she stared in awe at the sight before her eyes, and then she turned to Caleb. “Okay, either I’m having a really wicked cool dream, or you’re about to tell me that those are really what I think they are,” she said with awe.
Marcus spoke up. “You can see what they are, you’re not asleep. I will never understand why you would doubt your own sight, but then again, your imagination would lead you astray.”
“Oh you ..., But ..., How ..., Oh my gods ..., Do they breathe fire?” Marcus smiled to himself at the look of wonder that floated across her face.
“Kaitlyn?” Eve admonished her sister.
“Do you see them? They’re ...” she sputtered.
“Dragons,” Marcus supplied.
“You’re sure that they’re real, and I’m not having a dream?” Marcus leaned over, and pinched her arm. “Ouch,” she cried as she smacked him with her hand. “What the hell was that for?”
“If you felt it, you’re awake, and it’s not a dream.”
Kaitlyn rubbed her arm where Marcus had pinched her, and gave him a dirty look, before she turned to look back at the huge dragons that were landing not far from where they were. “Kevan, would you look at that? Well, surreal is the word that certainly comes to mind. Hey, do they breathe fire?”
Kevan just stared at them. Her heart raced as she watched them spread their wings as they landed without a sound. They were beautiful, their skin glistening in the sun, reflecting multitudes of colors, their bodies moving with grace as they settled down, tucking their wings over their backs.
“Kevan?” Caleb questioned, sensing her bubbling emotions.
“I’m okay, they’re ... words fail me,” she told him as she moved towards them slowly. She needed to be closer to them. She approached carefully, scared it was a dream, and if it was, she didn’t want to wake up. Her hands reached out, yearning to touch the one thing that she had always believed wasn’t possible. She jumped back when the body landed in front of her.
“Oh! Sorry, I didn’t see you,” the young woman told her. Seeing the awe on Kevan’s face, she smiled back. “It’s okay, Mattus loves attention, just not too much, don’t want it going to his head.” She gave the dragon a slap on its side; the dragon turned its head and let out a snort. “Watch it, big boy,” she shot back at the dragon.
“You watch it, rider,” it rumbled at her.
“Oh, looks like you have an admirer, Mattus.”
“Of course I do.” The dragon stretched its body like a cat, and then began making what Kevan could only describe as a purr when she stroked its side.
“Oh that’s it, you know that he’s going to be bugging you all the time to pet him,” the rider warned her. “He loves it when I take a brush to him, and get all the old scales off, but I gotta warn yah, it is so messy, they get everywhere.” Kevan turned and stared, her eyes wide with both shock and awe. “Hi, I’m Wren.” She held out her hand to Kevan.
“Kevan,” she told her, taking the offered hand. “These are Eve and Kaitlyn, my sisters, and Leila, our friend.” Wren’s eyes jumped over the girls, and landed on the men standing just to the side of them.
“Are they yours?” Wren asked, as she gave them the once over. Kevan looked over her shoulder to the men and smiled when she saw them shift uncomfortably under Wren’s admiring gaze.
“Well, kind of yes, kind of no. That one,” she pointed to Caleb. “That one is mine, the rest, well they’re friends.”
“Welcome gentlemen, so very nice to meet you,” Wren greeted, as she strode directly to them and shook all of their hands, but stopped in front of Marcus, her eyes showing her interest. Marcus took a step back, but a sly smile tipped the corner of his mouth as he gave Wren the eye. Kevan turned to look at Kaitlyn when she heard the snort of anger, and the mutter under her sister’s breath about all men being jackasses.
“So people, where are you from?” Wren questioned. They all stayed quiet, shooting looks back and forth between each other. “Ah yes, the ever so effective silent treatment,” Wren teased, as Greyson and several others joined her. “Whatcha’ trying to hide?”
“You’re imagining things, we aren’t hiding anything,” Kevan told her.
“Oh, I think the lady doth protest too much,” Wren joked.
“What are you talking about?”
“Well, you’re standing there staring like you’ve never seen a dragon before, which tells me that you aren’t from Elden. According to Grey, you all fell out of the sky into the middle of their fight with the Red Guards, and that until you changed sides, they weren’t doing so good.” Wren paused, letting what she was telling them sink in.
“You know, just because we aren’t familiar with the live action dungeons and dragon games you have going ...” Kaitlyn argu
ed.
“Oh man, I knew it,” Wren shouted making them all jump with surprise.
“Knew what?” Kaitlyn questioned.
“I saw you, and I just knew.” Wren smiled and laughed, slapped her legs with her hands.
Kaitlyn studied the woman standing before them. “I know you!” she told her.
“Kait?” Kevan questioned, as she looked closer at Wren. “How?”
“Don’t you remember about 4 years ago, the youngest daughter of billionaire Robert Hunter and Margo Chasin vanished? Their daughter, named Wren Chasin-Hunter, was believed to have been kidnapped and murdered, the body dumped.” They all turned and looked to the young woman standing before them.
“Four years, huh? I wondered how long I had been here,” she told them. “Time doesn’t flow the same here. It feels like it’s been a lot longer at times and then not nearly so at others.” She looked back to them. “Is my family okay?” she questioned.
“They still have a reward offered for any information that would lead to your body, so that they can bury you.” Kaitlyn admitted.
“Ah yes, the ever wonderful joy of money,” she replied, but they could hear the note of disdain in her voice. “So how much was the reward?”
“$10 million,” Kaitlyn told her.
“Really, well it’s nice to know that they cared,” she stated wistfully, before she shifted as the look of loss that only a moment ago had been in her eyes was gone, replaced by the mischievous glint that they had seen to begin with.
“So, you know each other?” Greyson questioned
“Oh no, we don’t run in the same circles,” Kaitlyn stated. “It was all over the media when it happened, and every year since. How could they not play it up? The daughter of a billionaire disappears without a trace and no ransom demands. Talk about a media circus.”
“Media circus?” Greyson asked, with a look of confusion on his face.
“Oh, my dear man, I don’t think we have nearly enough time to explain the whole media thing to you right now,” Kaitlyn laughed, as she looked to Wren. “So how did you end up here?”
Wren waited, trying to think of a way to explain how she ended up in Elden. “Let’s just say that it involved a very stupid move by me, and a complete accident,” she told them.
“What?”
“I tried to commit suicide. I went to this isolated place in Scotland that my grandmother had taken to me to a few times; I always felt good there for some reason. I took a running leap off the cliff, and headed for the rocks below, when I fell through a portal. The same portal that you came through, if the looks on your faces mean anything.”
“You tried to kill yourself?”
“Oh, don’t worry, it was a really stupid thing to do, and I regretted it the moment I jumped off the cliff. I screamed that I wished I had another chance. The next thing I knew, I landed in the middle of a bed. At least it was a soft landing, but the people that I landed on weren’t all that impressed.”
“The portal keeps moving,” Joseph spoke up. “It is not a permanent one that is stabilized in one spot; it was ripped loose, so it can open anywhere along its line.”
“So this portal is like a doorway between our worlds?” Kevan asked. “That could be a way to get home.”
“It’s hard to say, as it moves around and we can’t see it, or call it at will, so it would be a challenge. Even if it is visible again, there is no surety that we will get home,” Joseph stated. He was not happy to be stranded on Elden.
A soldier walked up to Greyson, saluted fist to chest, and said, “As intriguing as this conversation is, we really need to get moving. Troops of royal guards are headed towards where the battle took place. It won’t take them but a moment to track the route we took. We need to be gone from here, now.”
“Absolutely, Ronan,” Greyson agreed. “Mount up people.”
“Well if they can track where we went, why wouldn’t they be able to track us when we leave here? Unless are we going into the ...” Kevan stopped and stared at the forest of trees standing not far from where they had come to wait. A shiver raced down her spine at the thought of going into those trees. They gave her a feeling that she didn’t quite know how to explain to anyone. It was so odd to be living fantasy book concepts. Wren saw where Kevan looked and laughed.
“Relax, we don’t plan on going through the forest,” she promised. Kevan released her breath, not even realizing that she was holding it. “We are going over it,” Wren finished with a grin. Kevan and her sisters shared the same reaction, eyes wide; all swung their gaze to the resting dragons that looked at the humans. One gave Kevan what could only be a wink and a smile.