A Star is Born: The Coming Dawn: Book I (12 page)

Cobaaron reached for the bird by its jaw, as he freefell. He ripped off the top of its beak with the momentum of his fall. He then gracefully swung around its neck. The bird gave out an alarming crow of pain as Cobaaron took the beak and slit its neck with the sharp tip. They both dropped out of sight when the bird could no longer stay in the air. Moments later Davior and Brute bound up onto the ledge, and then whirled around to peer down, watching the bird and Cobaaron fall.

“Is that all that was down there?” Noxis asked.

“Yeah,” Brute said. “We were almost on top of it, but the beast must have heard the wind whistling as we fell. Then it flew up, ensnared us with its talons, and tossed us into the cliff.”

“It was feeding on a dead snake before it saw us.” Davior smiled as he bragged, “It should have tossed us harder if it wanted to stun us.”

“Well, let’s go,” Ly said. “I imagine he’s waiting for us down there.”

Huntra seemed to understand their conversation, because he was the first to reach the edge of the cliff. Huntra hopped like a sheep before leaning forward over the cliff. The next thing Ky knew, they slid over the edge, and like a rollercoaster she plunged straight down the enormous cliff. She gripped the handlebar tightly and shrieked. Huntra was clawing at the rock to keep them close to the cliff. She could hear rock scrapping and tumbling over her loud shriek. Huntra began jumping from rock to rock, no matter how little the stone protruded.

Ky was sure Huntra would misstep and roll, making them both crash into the side of the mountain. Though that didn’t happen, Ky continued to scream until she was safe on solid ground again.

Ky scrambled to try to get away from Huntra, no longer wanting to be on the tiger’s back. Huntra gladly let her, as the seat bubbled into his skin. Ky jumped off, and rolled away from the tiger. She was panting and out of breath while Huntra was crouching down, looking even more scared than Ky.

The warriors dropped all around her. “You could have handled that a little better.” Cobaaron smiled as he walked up.

“She’s more trouble than she’s worth,” X-avor growled. “She probably woke half the forest with all that noise, and with that much attention drawn to us, surely there are creatures running this way as we speak. She has the tiger now. I say we let the feline take her to the city. You were glad the moment she left the cave telling us to let her go, wanting to be free of her for good. Let’s tell the cat to take her, and we’ll put distance between us.”

“She’s a Star, X-avor,” Edom snapped. “Not a worthless woman.”

Ky looked at Cobaaron. The moonlight was dark and hid his face. Ky hoped shadow hid her expression as well, because she was hurt. He wanted to get rid of her, and was letting her wander outside alone in hopes it was the end.

Huntra unexpectedly tossed her onto his back as he increased in height by several feet. Without warning, Huntra rocketed off. Ky held on tightly to his fur, until the saddle began to form under her again. She wasn’t properly on the seat, as she rode sidesaddle. The bar continued to bubble and crowd her off. She struggled to fling her leg over the bar with as much jostling Huntra was causing. Forcing her thigh under the handlebar was a tight squeeze. She used both her hands to push her leg down. The bar grew until it began to pinch her thigh. She screamed with pain. Then she shoved harder until her leg slipped down. Her glowing skin bruised faint silver. It hurt far worse than a normal bruise because it was hot.

She looked back sure she would see the men still debating if they should follow her or let her go, but instead she was surprised to see they were all fighting a flaming tree that was slashing blazing branches like whips. Boils on the bark burst, and anywhere the sap landed the whipping branches lit on fire.

Another tree ablaze, joining the fight against the warriors. Even as Huntra ran and grew, trees around them erupted to flames. Ky was spattered with sap that was black, thick and tar-like.

The last thing she saw was a third tree burning and attacking the warriors. One of the men was plucked off the ground, hanging upside down by a whip. It was Cobaaron, who commanded his men to climb the cliff and leave the battle to him. He was drenched in sap and then lit on fire. Ky screamed, seeing a ball of fire engulf his body, and his men didn’t even argue to save him.

Huntra whizzed back and forth with jolting movements and yanked Ky around, as he dodged trees afire and their sap. He was nimble and swiftly escaped the reach of the burning branches. However, a twig lit the sap on Ky’s hand. She tried to put it out, but the sap was extremely flammable making the fire inextinguishable. Oddly, she didn’t feel the heat of the fire, and her hand wasn’t burning. In fact, it felt warm and soothing like her hand was bathing in hot water. She watched the flame dance on her hand, entertained by the calming beauty of the amber blaze.

Trees burst into flames after they passed, but Huntra continued to run. Soon they were out of the fiery danger and under a canopy of much taller trees. Ky petted Huntra. “Good boy.” They were alone, and far from the warriors. She wanted to say, “Good boy,” one more time, but Huntra began to crouch and stalk with caution.

She heard snapping branches to the right. Ky closed her eyes. If this was anything like the night wolves, the skeletons, or even the large vulture she didn’t want to know. Her screaming made her protector skittish, and she needed Huntra to be brave now that they were alone.

Ky pinched her eyes shut, and gripped the handlebar tightly, ready for sudden jerks or leaps. The saddle bubbled, pinning her tighter into the seat until she couldn’t budge and her bruised leg throbbed.

Huntra proceeded slowly, and he once again swelled in size. Ky could feel the wind brush past her as he increased his mass. Suddenly Huntra hissed. Ky heard a roar so loud it hurt her ears, and she covered them. Huntra sprung and collided with something much stronger. Ky didn’t dare open her eyes. She covered her mouth with her hands determined not to make a sound.

Huntra was knocked onto his side and yelped. Ky gripped the bar again, as Huntra rebounded to his feet. She felt him increase his height even more, and she pushed away tree limbs. He grew until they passed the height of the canopy. Without warning he pounced. The roars Huntra and the other creature made were bone chilling. They fought, each taking hard blows. Huntra’s hiss was low and menacing; he sounded ferocious when he struck. Ky heard a crack, and then a howl. At first Ky thought it was Huntra, because he fell still. He began to shrink, but a moment later, he skulked off with a limp. Because he was fleeing at a slow pace, she knew he killed the other beast.

“Huntra? Are you okay, boy?” she whispered when she finally had enough nerve to open her eyes and look around. Huntra was no longer cautious, but he limped and whimpered as he walked. She reached down to pet him, feeling distressed that he was in pain. She was exceedingly thankful Huntra protected her, even risked his life for her. There was no doubt anymore that Huntra thought of only helping her, and not harming her. She trusted the woman who gave Ky her snow tiger, and she was confident in Huntra’s protection. But her heart broke for him.

Ky wished she had something to give him in return for saving her, now twice, once from the trees and then from a creature in the forest. The men were a long way off, maybe running away from her. That was if they survived the flaming trees. She hoped Cobaaron was okay, but doubted it. The fire didn’t snuff out. He wasn’t invincible no matter how unconquerable; he was still only a man.

The idea came to her, too late, that she should wish him to change until he couldn’t be burned, but he wouldn’t have survived several minutes in such hot flames. It was too late to save him; he was most likely dead. Ky cried with regret, feeling the loss of someone she cared about. She didn’t realize how much until she felt her heart wrenching and bitter pain. Her light flickered.

Her arm dangled over the bar as she rested her head on the cold silver, sobbing as she reached for Huntra’s companionship. She petted him because it soothed her, and he liked it, too. “He’s dead Huntra.” She sobbed harder, admitting it aloud. “You’re my only friend now.” She wiped her tears. “Maybe you’re the only friend I’ve had in this world. He wanted to get rid of me. He would have let me wander out of the mountain and get lost. That isn’t a friend, and I thought we were.” She petted Huntra, playing with small tuffs of his fur. It distracted her, helping her not dwell. “It doesn’t matter, though; I’m still heartbroken he’s dead. Maybe you can’t experience an adventure with someone and not be brought closer together because of it. Maybe that is why it hurts so much that he’s gone. I’m sure that is why he is so close with his comrades.”

She said nothing else, because her flickering light was growing dim. To soothe them, she continued to pet him. They traveled for hours. Ky made an effort to reward Huntra with constant affection, because he was treading the grueling hike along rugged terrain. Hours passed, and she could no longer ignore that she was getting tired and yawning constantly. Yet she petted him; showing him affection was the least she could do.

Ky sat up when she noticed something, “Huntra, you’re not limping anymore.” She smiled, relieved. “
Good boy
!”

Pleased with his progress, she nestled into her seat feeling exhausted. She’d been up so long that it was surely time for sleep. “Now if only this saddle was more comfortable, I could actually sleep.” Ky mumbled as she propped an elbow on a bar so she could rest her chin on her palm, and wondered if she could hold her head up as she slept. Ky lifted her elbow when the seat began to change, shifting into a silver box that completely enclosed her. There was a small rectangular window big enough to peer out of, but no door. There was no floor, only thick, soft tiger’s fur. Huntra’s back was a plush padded mat.

She smoothed the fur as she stretched out, getting cozy. There was enough room for Ky to lie flat, but she curled into the fetal position, and closed her eyes. Huntra’s gentle rocking as he strolled, put Ky to sleep.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Ky heard the sound of distant talking. At least at first it sounded as if it was coming from far away, but as she gradually awakened, she was increasingly aware of how close the people were. She opened her eyes and bolted upright, looking around. She was no longer in Huntra’s small sleeping compartment, but in a white stone room elaborately decorated with glass figures in every shape and size, some of which were floating midair and most were globes. The bed she sat in was made of long white feathers woven together like a hammock and dangled from the cracking ceiling. Turquoise flowers were sprouting in every crack along the wall, floor, and ceiling.

She had to be in the City of Sterlings, because Airia mentioned the turquoise flowers. Huntra did it. He brought her safely to the city.

Huntra, the size of a housecat, was lying on a small patch of grass and tiny turquoise flowers. His paws covered his eyes, and his belly was exposed to the sky. He even snored softly.

People outside her room were talking loudly. The conversation seemed to be about some sort of sport. Ky struggled out of the wobbly bed. She hit her head on a glass orb floating in midair; the orb shattered on the floor. The two men stopped talking. Huntra startled awake, opened one eye, but didn’t bother to get up from his cozy bed.

Ky walked over to Huntra, knelt down, and twirled her fingers around his ear. “You did it boy. I’m here at the City of Sterlings.” Ky scratched his belly; he purred, and then rolled into a ball. When he exposed his back to her, it was clear he wanted to sleep. “Alright. Go to sleep. You deserve it. I’ll get you food for when you wake up.”

Ky opened the door and saw two warriors guarding her room as they stood outside the threshold. “Go tell them she’s awake,” one warrior said to the other.

Ky questioned the remaining warrior: “What city is this?”

“City of Sterlings,” he said.

“Did, um...did any warriors arrive yet?”

“The warriors are not expected until tonight.”

“Oh,” she sighed dismally. The men didn’t make it past the trees. “I take it you’re stationed here? Will you always be guarding my door?”

“Stationed? Only recruits are stationed in cities while they train to be a stud, but they’re part of the labor force.
Warriors
are stationed only to the leader of his army. No doubt you know the chief.” He smiled, but immediately took back his amused expression.

“I do. I was with him in the forest when trees started to catch fire.”

“Oh, popping pines. That would explain their torched clothes, and Cobaaron arriving naked.”

“He arrived?” She bit her lip to keep from smiling foolishly. She couldn’t believe the news. She was so happy she could have kissed the warrior for saying it. “You told me no warriors arrived.”

“I said the army isn’t expected until tonight. We got a message that Octavos brings the rest of men here tonight.”

“Was Cobaaron burnt badly?”

“He’s fine, my Lady. He arrived a few hours after you. He came to see you. I heard talking. You weren’t aware he came to check on you?”

Ky had been sleeping, and never heard anyone enter, let alone speak to her. She was relieved to hear he was okay, and thanked the warrior for the information with a pleased smile. She was more than pleased, though.

“I need someone to feed my cat. I don’t know what they eat,” Ky said. “Who would I ask to make sure he is fed?”

“I will make sure your cat gets food once Availon gets back. I can’t leave you unprotected. Cobaaron’s orders.”

“Did Availon go get Cobaaron?”

“No, Availon is reporting to the members of the council.”

Minutes later, it wasn’t a council member who knocked on Ky’s door, but a woman who introduced herself as Oella. She was a thin woman, with a long neck and orange eyes. Her white hair was cut in a very short bob with diagonal bangs. She explained to Ky that she was her handmaiden. She cleaned the broken glass by sweeping her hands in midair. Magically, the glass gathered into a pile, and then the woman motioned as if tossing the glass into the air. The shards rose several feet, transformed to snow, and lightly fell as they melted away.