CHAPTER 16
Punching the pillow under her head in a vain effort to make it more comfortable, Riley yelped in pain. Rubbing her hand, she opened her eyes and saw that the pillow was Cole’s shoulder. He was fast asleep, a lock of honey hair covering one eye. Smiling, she snuggled closer. She recalled being back in the Great Hall and starting to spin. Cole had grabbed her hand, holding on fiercely to her. A feeling of exhilaration had gripped Riley at first but as the spinning intensified, she grew dizzy. Her stomach lurched into her throat, and nausea overwhelmed her. Just as she felt her gorge rising, the spinning stopped and blackness claimed her.
Sitting up, she saw that they were in a rustic log cabin, small but cozy. Climbing out of the king sized bed, she went exploring. The bedroom opened into a long, narrow living room area furnished simply with a plump couch and a couple of armchairs, a narrow hallway led into a roomy kitchen. Opening cupboards she found them all fully stocked with supplies. Shaking her head she wondered how long they were supposed to camp out here. She stepped out of the back door and on to a white sandy beach that sloped gently down to the ocean. Strolling down to the water’s edge, she looked back at the cabin noticing that it sat on top of a hillock. Her mouth fell open as she realized that the hillock was really just a minute island, totally encircled by the ocean.
Blood pounded in her ears as fear and anger flooded through her. “Shalimar! Sultan! Where are you? Come here at once. Why did you bring us here? Shalimar! Sultan!”
Cole came running out of the cabin and slammed into her, knocking her off her feet. “Are you okay? I heard your shouts.”
Lying on her back, gasping for breath, she glared at him. “Can’t you watch where you are going?”
With a sheepish grin, he pulled her to her feet, and started to dust sand off her clothes. “Sorry. Your yells yanked me out of a deep sleep. I thought you were in danger so I was just trying to get to you in a hurry.”
She slapped his hands away as they lingered on her butt. “No need to get fresh!”
His expression was pure innocence. “Excuse me, but I am only just trying to help you brush off the sand.”
She continued to glower at him. “Yes, you are a helpful fellow, helping yourself to a handful.”
He laughed, gazing at the part of her anatomy under discussion. “Surely you can’t blame me given the generous temptation.” She looked as if she was going to take a swing at him so he hurriedly changed the subject. “It does not appear that you are in danger. Why were you yelling?”
Her irritation with him melted away as she was reminded of their situation. “Look around. Do you have any idea where we are? Why would Sultan and Shalimar bring us to this speck of an island?”
The teasing light in Cole’s amber eyes went out as he took in their surroundings. “Do you remember them telling us that we had to find a way to work together? I think this is their way of ensuring that we do just that.”
She frowned. “They cannot abandon us here. We can teleport off this excuse for an island.”
He shook his head. “I am afraid that is impossible. When you yelled I tried to teleport here but could not that is why I ran instead. It appears that we have been stripped of our powers.”
“They cannot do that!”
Cole, his expression bleak, looked at the roiling ocean, a perfection reflection of his emotions. “They can and they have.”
“What are we going to do now? Will they leave us here forever?” Riley asked, her voice a thread of sound.
Fighting for calm, he turned back towards her, his eyes veiled. “They will return, perhaps in a week or two. In the meantime we need to either figure out a way to work together or come up with another option that will satisfy them.”
She sank to her knees. “That’s impossible!” Her voice held a touch or rising hysteria.
“Nothing is impossible, especially on a full stomach. Come, I will make us breakfast.” Cole strode back to the cabin.
Riley watched him walk away. Panic, fear, anger, depression, hopelessness all tumbled through her, each vying for supremacy. Her entire head throbbed with pain. It felt like a million sharp needles piercing her brain all at once. She remained on the beach for a while, rubbing her head, and staring out to sea with sightless eyes.
Breakfast was a delicious affair. Cole whipped up a batch of buttermilk pancakes and sausages. Riley almost swooned when she sniffed the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. She did not have much of an appetite but managed to polish off the huge plateful that Cole placed in front of her.
Refusing seconds, she said, “Thank you. That was tasty. I had no idea you knew how to cook.”
Cole, working on his third helping, grinned. “Cooking is a required course at the Dark Towers. Magic is the preferred method used in food preparation. Or most of us just take food pills which are also magically produced. However, since magic is a privilege and not a right and the skill level varies from individual to individual, we must all learn to cook the traditional way. Never know when it can come in handy.” He pointed at his plate.
Riley moved over to the sink, and started to wash up. Her headache had dulled a little but her thoughts were chaotic. During breakfast, she had grasped a mere thread of a plan but needed to refine it before she could have any hope of convincing Cole to go along.
Cole watched her in silence over the rim of his coffee cup, trying to gauge her mood. He had come up with an idea but he needed her to be receptive. His mouth opened but he snapped it shut. No need to rush things, he decided to adopt a “wait and see” approach. When she pleaded a headache and went off to take a nap, he prowled the cabin. Without his magical powers he felt lost, incomplete. As soon as he convinced Riley that his plan was the best for all concerned, his powers would be returned to him. However, he had no idea how to do that so he continued to prowl like the caged lion he was.
Riley struggled but strong arms held her fast. Her head snapped back, exposing her throat to the black crystal sword that hovered above her. Her struggles grew frantic and she managed to see the amber eyes of her captor just as the sword swooshed towards her, its sharp blade grinning with evil intent. She woke to the sound of a bloodcurdling screams. Leaping up in terror, it took her a minute before she realized that the nightmarish sounds were issuing from her own throat. Heart thudding in her chest, she collapsed on the bed. As her heartbeats returned to normal, she noticed that her clothes and skin were clammy with sweat and fear. She padded to the bathroom, stood under a hot shower until her skin turned pruny but part of her remained chilled. The nightmare lingering in her mind, filled her with disquiet. In the closet, she found clothes in her size. Quickly donning jeans and a sweatshirt she went in search of Cole. Sniffing the air, like a bloodhound, she followed the tantalizing aroma out to the beach. Cole was hunched over a campfire shaking a sizzling frying pan. Hearing her approach, he looked up and grinned, cheeks glowing from the heat of the fire.
Waving one hand, he indicated the red checked blanket to his left. “Sit, dinner will be ready soon.”
Bright plastic plates, cutlery and wine glasses were laid out on a blanket along with a wicker basket of rolls, a bowl of salad and an ice bucket containing a bottle of white wine.
“You have been busy. What is that delicious smell? Is there anything I can help you with?”
Cole shook his head. “Just sit back and relax. I spent the afternoon fishing. Hope you like fried fish.”
She nodded, picked up a roll and bit into it. Warm, tasty and definitely homemade. “Did you bake this?”
With a deft flick of his wrist, he flipped the fish in the frying pan. A teasing smile tugged at his lips. “Don’t sound so surprised. I have many talents.”
Rolling her eyes, she looked out at the calm ocean. The sun painted the sky in brilliant shares of crimson, pink and orange. She could not believe that she had slept for most of the day while Cole had been fishi
ng, baking, cooking and who knew what else. She still had not fleshed out her plan.
“Hope you are not scowling at my bread?” Cole’s voice interrupted her musings.
Pulling herself out of her reverie, she smiled. “No, it’s delicious. I just have a lot on my mind.”
“We both have a lot to think about. But, just for tonight, let us just enjoy dinner and each other’s company. I propose that we defer all serious thinking till tomorrow.”
Clinking her wine glass against his, she murmured, “Till tomorrow then.”
Dinner was spent primarily in companionable silence, punctuated by spurts of desultory conversation. They enjoyed the food and the spectacular display as the sun bade its daily adieu in a blaze of glorious color. As darkness fell, Cole suggested a walk along the short beach. A soft breeze caressed their faces as they strolled hand in hand. Neither spoke, preferring to listen to the gentle lapping of the waves against the shore, a sweet, ancient melody that stirred Riley’s soul. Sighing with contentment, she stopped and stared at the moon, looming bright in the night sky, its kiss turning the ocean silvery.
“It’s so beautiful.”
“Extremely.” Cole agreed, but he was staring at Riley, her beauty ethereal in the moonlight.
Almost in a daze, he reached out and caressed her cheek. Turning towards him, lips parted in invitation, eyes bright, she stood on tiptoe, intending only to brush her lips against his but a jolt of electricity hurtled through her as their lips touched, igniting the fiery passion between them. Desire raged, hot and uncontrollable, burning through all her defenses and her common sense. Totally lost in the blistering kiss, she pressed closer to him, knowing that she could deny him nothing. He let go of her so suddenly that she almost fell. He stood staring at her, breathing hard, his expression unreadable. Still reeling with desire, she gaped at him in total incomprehension. With a slight shake of his head, he turned on his heel and strode away down the beach, away from the cabin. Humiliated and confused, cursing herself for a fool, Riley ran back to the cabin, tears coursing down her cheeks.
Hours later, a shadowy form hovered in the doorway, watching her sleep, her tear stained cheeks the color of mercury in the moonlight streaming through the open window. Moving toward the bed, he brushed her ebony hair from her eyes and stared at her in the darkness for a long time, his amber eyes inscrutable.
Riley woke to the delicious aroma of bacon. Stomach rumbling with hunger, she took a quick shower and hurried to the kitchen. Cole dished out bacon and eggs, while she buttered the toast. After a brief greeting, they breakfasted in awkward silence, avoiding eye contact. As Riley chewed on her last piece of bacon, Cole cleared his throat.
“About last night,” he began.
Swallowing quickly, she waved him to silence. “Please, don’t. It was embarrassing. I don’t wish to re-live it.”
He studied her flushed cheeks, then nodded. “It is time to discuss our next move. Sultan and Shalimar should be checking in soon. We need to come up with a plan that will satisfy them in order to get off this island.”
“Let’s talk on the beach.” Riley grabbed her coffee and stepped outside.
Gowned in shimmering turquoise, the ocean caressed the shore. Squinting in the bright sunlight, she perched on a rock and sipped her coffee, trying to unfurl her plan from her jumbled thoughts. It was critical for her to get Cole’s agreement.
Taking a deep breath, she plunged ahead. “It is obvious that Sultan and Shalimar want us to work together. What if we refuse? I propose that we challenge each other to a duel with the winner taking control of both the crystal swords. The swords will refuse to fight each other. Then they will have no choice but to take us off this island and restore our powers.”
Cole’s brow arched in surprise. “An interesting but dangerous plan. What happens if the swords call our bluff?”
“It won’t come to that. But if it does, we duel.”
Speculation brightened his amber eyes. It was a brilliant plan. The swords would never duel, he felt certain about that. But if he was wrong, he knew that he would win the duel. He had been trained in swordplay since childhood. Her plan was indeed better than his. His intention was to seduce her into giving him Shalimar. But last night when she had so willingly stepped into his arms, when he had once again tasted her sweetness, he could not go through with it. That was why he had walked away. In spite of his consuming ambition, he could not bring himself to use her that way, as a means to an end.
“Okay.” He nodded. “I’m on board. But what happens afterwards?”
An enigmatic smile tugged at her lips. “Let’s just take it one hurdle at a time.” She succeeded in keeping a note of triumph out of her voice. He had taken the bait. First rule of fishing, her father had always told her, make the bait irresistible and the fish will be eager to bite.
Riley drowsed in the late afternoon sun, watching the hypnotic rhythm of Cole’s arms as he swam. He had been at it for a while, his honey blond head bobbing far from shore. She was tempted to join him, the promise of the cool water against her skin almost too enticing to resist but the heat made her lethargic. Yawning, she closed her eyes and drifted off. Wet, sloppy kisses tugged her awake. Cole’s back from his swim, she mused sleepily, giggling as his tongue tickled her ear. Opening her eyes, she gazed straight into huge purple eyes attached to a small, furry body. Her scream shattered the silence, startling the creature which skittered away. Cole, just emerging from the sea, came charging up the beach.
Panting, he grabbed hold of her. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
Bone white, still screaming, she pointed a shaking finger behind him. Turning, he saw bulging eyes peeking out from behind a rock. Getting up, he started to walk towards the creature when Riley seized his arm, fingers digging into his skin.
“No! It could be dangerous.” Her eyes were wide with alarm.
Smiling, he gently disengaged his arm, strode to the rock and pulled the creature out. At once, it snuggled against his face, making a chattering sound. Riley stared in amazement but shrank away as Cole brought the creature to her.
“No need to be afraid. This creature is a sikko, it is as harmless as a puppy. You scared it half to death.”
“Likewise.” Still wary, she took a closer look at the shivering creature whose eyes were brimming with curiosity and intelligence. It looked like a miniature rabbit, except for its moss colored fur, purple eyes and skinny rat like tail. The more she looked, the cuter it became. Slowly she extended a hand, and the creature hopped on to it, snuggling up to her. Stroking its fur, making soothing noises, she grinned at Cole.
“Tell me more about sikkos.”
“They live near the ocean, feed on fish and rarely show themselves. This is the first time I have ever actually seen one. I gleaned the little knowledge I have about them from books.” Cole took a closer look at the sikko. “This one is a female since the males are blue.”
“It’s adorable.” Riley chuckled as the sikko began to lick her neck.
Cole perched on the rock. “According to ancient lore, sikkos are magical creatures with the unique ability of sharing their magical powers with others. Although….”
A loud cracking sound startled Riley. Looking up, she saw that everything seemed to be frozen, almost like if time had come to a standstill. Cole, sitting motionless, mouth agape, caught in mid-sentence. The ocean was eerily still, with one wave frozen just as it crested. Even the breeze had stopped. Icy fingers of fear crawled along her spine, as she realized that everything stood still but her. A chattering sound from behind her almost made her heart stop. Whirling, her eyes locked with huge purple ones, bright with merriment.
Grinning, the sikko bowed low. “Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Meeka. It is an honor and a privilege to meet you, Princess. Forgive me for showing off a little but I wanted to give you a demonstration of my magical p
ower.” She leapt on to Riley’s shoulder and hung a purple stone attached to a black cord around her neck. “My power is to freeze time. It is yours whenever you need to use it. Just rub the stone and time will stand still. It will only work for you. Also, the purple stone is visible only to you.”
Riley fingered the stone which was cool to the touch and the exact color of Meeka’s eyes. “Thank you. I appreciate your gift but why would you want to share your power with me?”
Meeka’s expression turned sober. “All sikkos are a wee bit precognitive. I can see that your path will not be easy. You will travel through many dark places, face untold dangers and meet foes masquerading as friends. There are times when you will feel like giving up. You will need to use all the powers at your disposal, magical and non-magical, in order to face the numerous challenges winging their way towards you. I love Avalyss. It is my home. I share your vision of its future. You do me great honor by accepting my gift, by allowing my small gift to be used in forging that future.”
Meeka snapped her fingers and instantly time flowed. The cresting wave crashed against the shore, the ocean breeze blew, refreshing in the afternoon heat and Meeka ensconced on Riley’s shoulder, licked her neck intently.
Cole finished his sentence with blithe unawareness of what had had just occurred. “…I have yet to hear of a verifiable case of a sikko sharing its power with another.”
Riley stared at Cole, tempted to confide in him but yelped as Meeka bit her ear in warning and scampered off. Rubbing her ear, she scowled at the furry retreating form, wondering why Cole was to be kept in the dark.
Cole laughed. “Temperamental little buggers, aren’t they?”