AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He turns to face me and smiles, though it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Morning.”
“Did you get any sleep?”
“Some,” he replies as he crosses over to the bed. Reaching down, he pulls me to my feet and wraps his arms around me. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” I reply with a smile.
“I’m sorry about last night. I worry that you don’t fully understand or see what it is I am.” He pulls back, so I cup his cheeks.
“I see you, Fort. I’ve always seen you. And I understand what being with you means, but I don’t care about anything else. My love for you is stronger than any desire I may have had at one point in my life.”
He drops his head down and rests it against mine. “You are everything to me, Carleah.”
“As you are to me.”
Fort gently grabs my chin and tilts my face up to kiss me. I sink into him, enjoying the feel of his body against mine. “We need to go,” he says as he pulls away. “Salma is assembling some of her warriors to take us to the entrance of the caves. But that’s as far as they will go.”
“We need to get Shadow first,” she says. “I don’t want to go anywhere without him.”
“Then let’s go get him.” Fort steps aside as I slip into my boots; then he opens the door so we can slip into the hall. Much like when we came up here, the floating village is empty. Fort and I go back the way we came yesterday until we reach the room where Shadow sits. He’s still not on his feet, and the sight of him lying down makes my heart ache.
“Good morning,” Salma greets with a warm smile as she looks up from brushing Shadow’s side.
“How is he?” I ask.
“Still unable to stand, but he’s on the mend.”
“I feel so horrible that I brought him here. He never should have been flying.”
“He will recover, Carleah,” she assures me. “He is merely enjoying our grass, aren’t you?” Shadow nuzzles her, but his gaze is on me as I cross over and kneel beside him.
“I’m so sorry, Shadow. You trusted me to guide you, and I let you down.” He buries his large nose between my arm and side then lets out a heavy breath as he relaxes against me. “How long do you think it will take for him to be on his feet?”
“He was on his feet this morning,” she says. “Though you cannot ride him and he cannot fly until his wings are healed.”
“We won’t have him carry a thing.” I kiss his long nose.
“Then he should be fine to make the trip, though you should know, if you can get into the dwarven caves, they are treacherous. One misstep and you will fall to your death.”
“We will be getting in,” I tell her, “And we will be careful.”
“Good.” She nods her head in appreciation. “Then let us get you on your way.” After nodding overhead, the platform we’re standing on begins to lower, taking us back down to the ground. Fort stands completely still, his back to me. I can feel that something is off though I am sure it has a lot to do with what’s to come, and I certainly cannot blame him there.
If we survive the trip to the dwarven caves, we still have to get inside, find the dwarves, and make it back to Soreno if we stand a chance at stopping what’s coming. And that’s only if we can convince them to come out of hiding and aid us.
They’ve been in those caves for centuries, getting them to leave will not be easy.
As soon as the platform reaches the ground, we step off. Shadow stands and shakes then steps off with us, his hooves making indents in the soft ground. He leans against me and I embrace him, so damned happy to see him standing again that it lessens the weight of what’s to come from my shoulders. “I am so sorry,” I tell him again. Seeing him disappear into the fog that way, watching him fall into an abyss that I didn’t think he’d walk away from, about killed me.
A dozen spear and bow-wielding warriors stand at the gate when we reach it.
“This is where I leave you,” Salma says. “Though I do hope our paths cross again.” She comes to stand in front of me. “Carleah, I wish you victory.”
“I won’t forget about you,” I tell her. “As soon as I get the chance, I will come back for all of you.”
She smiles at me. The first real one I think I’ve seen from her. “Then I look forward to that day.” After shaking my hand, she glances back at Fort. “I hope that whatever choices you are faced with, Warrior, you make the right one. For everyone.” She dips her head at him then turns and leaves without waiting for a response.
Fort’s shoulders are tense, his expression hard, but I don’t get the chance to ask him what she’s talking about before the gate opens and we’re leaving the security of the village behind, and entering Dead Man’s Land.
