Heart Song (11 page)

I fell to the
floor, getting the wind knocked out of me for the fifth time. At least this time I kept a hold of my sword, which was an improvement. Enid was helping me train. Either that or he was trying to kill me because, while he retained his stamina, I was losing mine.

“Think, Relena. You have to anticipate his moves and respond accordingly,” Marren instructed again. This time it sounded more exasperated.

“I'm trying, Marren. You're expecting me to fight like I've already gone through the change and I haven't. By the Gods, I'm sweating like a stuck pig and Enid has yet to pant.”

“But you have already gone through aspects of the change that have given you more stamina that you realize,” Marren purred, stepping up to me. His lips brushed mine softly. I felt a rush start to pulse through my body. “Breathe, anticipate,” he said softly, bringing his hands to my face then pulled back away just as he was about to kiss me, “and respond accordingly.” He pulled his sword from its sheath and took his stance against Enid.

I took a seat in one of the chairs that lined the far wall under the weapons and watched as Marren and Enid fought. They moved so fast, they blurred entirely together which made for a difficult time discerning their moves. I observed the way both of them would move just before the sword would cut into them or block the attack with their own.  They fought with more skill than I thought was attainable, and yet, neither one faltered. Neither one panted, blinked, or missed a step. It made me feel even more inferior and imperfect. I felt ashamed for accusing Marren of
having any imperfections before
. He was right, that one night, when he called me blind. I just didn't know how true that statement was and the number of ways in which it was so.

Their swords clanked together and locked at the hilt. Marren broke free first and said, “Who's hungry?”

I shook my head, at a loss of words. Then, I followed them across the corridor to the dining hall.

When dinner was done, Enid excused himself to go run around the property lines to look for any signs of our pending company and any more attempts by the Cyrs. After watching the perfection of Marren sparring with Enid, it brought a whole new weight to the air and being alone with him. I felt so feeble and unnecessarily fragile.

“Come on,” he said, holding his hand out to me. I took it and stood with him. “We still have some training to do before the night is out.”

“You want to kill me, I know it,” I muttered.

“I would never do anything like that.”

“Sure you wouldn't,” I retorted, trying to ignore the purr of his words.

He stopped then turned to stand in front of me. He gently slid his hand down the side of my face. His breath poured over me, sending warmth rippling through my body.
“Uwoduhi
nigohilv
gvgeyu
.”
He pressed his lips to mine, making my knees go weak. I wrapped my arms around him quickly to prevent my legs from giving out on me.  He picked me up, pulling my legs around his waist, and carried me to the
ball
room.  I groaned my displeasure with his lips being pulled from mine. He let out a chuckle. “We have
work
to do. Can't be all play.”

“How do you know fighting
isn't
play for me?”

He raised his eyebrow at me with the look that held both intrigue and surprise. He cleared his throat. “Uh, I guess we'll have to deal with that when it comes.” Pulling his sword out from its sheath, he held a stance towards me. I sighed and did the same. “Remember—”

“Anticipate and respond accordingly, I know.”

He smiled with a show of pride then took his attack. I jumped back quickly, sucking in a breath and letting it out slowly, relieved I missed that one.

“Good. Now keep it up.”

“Be gentle,” I teased.

“I didn't know there was such a word in your vocabulary,” he teased, making another attack that I blocked.

He attacked again and I deflected, only for him to repeatedly attack me. I struggled to block each and every one while remembering to breathe. He backed up and held his sword in front of himself, defensively taking steps to the left. I followed his movements, keeping the short space between us, waiting for him to attack. When he didn't, I took my chance and lunged.

He twisted out of my way. I almost lost my footing and found myself wrapped in his arms with the side of his blade to my throat and his breath in my ear. I closed my eyes, pushing the intensity of my body's reaction to the back of my mind.

“You didn't respond accordingly,” he breathed.

I peeked at him from the corner of my eyes. “Nor were you anticipating.” I nodded with my head towards my weapon. He gulped, realizing it was a stagnant match. I felt his surprise. I giggled triumphantly as he released me.

I heard him swing his sword with my back turned. I swerved out of the way, twisting to counter his blow that
was coming immediately after. His swings were stronger, forcing me back a little more each time until I was up against the wall. He disarmed me with the flick of his wrist, then tossed his sword and pressed up against me, holding my arms in place. He kissed me hard then said, “I'm not the only one that didn't anticipate.”

Before I could say anything, he pulled away and walked to his sword. Using his foot to pick it up, he slid the toe of his boot under the blade just after the hilt and ejected the sword into the air. I ran to mine, sliding to the floor on the side of my leg and gripped the sword as I passed. I twisted myself up and braced for his attack.  I struggled to deter his attacks and certainly couldn’t get in any of my own.

Our swords became locked at the hilts. His gaze reached through to my very soul. He blew a kiss between the crossed blades. I smiled,
then
kicked him in his gut, breaking free of his block. He fell backwards to the floor not expecting my reaction. I quickly climbed on top of him, pinning his hands to the floor with the rest of my waning strength.

I leaned to his ear and softly said, “How's that for anticipation and response?”

I felt his hand release his sword. I smiled in my victory, dropping my sword as well, and released his hands. I leaned up from him to judge his reaction, only to get caught by the way his gaze had softened. It felt like the world had slowed around us again as he slid his hand to the back of my neck and pulled me down to him. He stopped just before our noses touched.

“I've got to warn you,” he paused, “I'm faster than you think and I only play at being submissive.” He put me on my back faster than I could blink. I waited for the room to stop spinning and the rush to subside. “You're going to be very sore tomorrow. You may want to have a nice hot bath to help soothe your muscles.” He brushed my hair from my face.

“How did you do it?” I panted.

He smiled. “Do what?”

“How did you manage to make me fall in love with you so quickly? I don't get it. It's like I've been put under your spell and held there, completely under your power.”

“I don't have any more power over you than you do over me. I'm your equal.”

“Then how? I've built a tower of stone around my heart and within days, you've knocked it down.”

“Years, actually, and persistence is the key.”

He stood up and led me to the bathing room. He left me there to attend to whatever he needed to do. The sconces were lit, filling the room with the light absent from the sky above. The bath was already full of steaming water with the bottles of soap on the edge. Fluffy white clouds of suds floated on the water's surface. There was a set of clothes waiting for me on the bench along the far wall. And there was something in the air I couldn't place. I felt a weight that covered everything in a warm blanket. But it was faint and loomed just out of reach until it dissolved entirely beyond my senses.

I undressed and climbed in. I was already feeling the overuse of my muscles. My legs protested when I lifted them into the bath. I slipped to the center and sunk down to let the hot water relax them. The bubbles fizzed and popped all around me, releasing the scent of dried rose petals into the air.

I dunked the back of my head into the water, and then stood straight. The steam lifted off of my body in billowing clouds until they cooled and disappeared into the air. I felt something sharp slice through my torso. I curled over, wrapping my arm around myself and trying to keep my head above water. I fel
t smooth skin
and small raised bumps
where the scars
were.
Nothing that would shed reason for the pain that I felt.

I stood straight as the pain subsided, gasping for air. I pulled my gaze to the night sky. The stars brightly shone against the black of night, like tiny bursts of flame. There was a light towards the rim of the glass. The moon was rising. The pain had to be another sign of the change. I walked to the edge of the tub and draped my arms over, resting my head against the cool stone. I focused on breathing and relaxing all of my muscles.

The water shifted.  I knew who it was before I turned to face him. His bronze skin reflected tiny beads of light. His hair was pulled back and tied with a leather lace that had brightly colored beads at the tips. They dangled over his shoulder. He focused on me, taking me in. His lips parted slightly when I stood up and stepped in front of him. 

“You decided to join me?” I asked, watching his lips curl. His hands slid gently along my skin from my sides to my back, firing off tiny bolts of lightning.

“How can I resist, waya uwoduhi?”

The buzz of his enchanting words filled my head. “You've completely mesmerized me.”

“You've had me under your spell since the first time I saw you.”

“Tell me about that time. I want to know what you thought and felt.”

“It's of a night you would much rather forget, than to be reminded of.”

“
Five years ago?”

“Yes.”

I wrapped my arms around his thick, hard body. The sensations within me conflicted in a struggling war of
which one would be the strongest and win out. “That's amazing and horrible at the same time.”

“There were moments when I was weak, needing to see you and know you were okay, like that day in Hafton. I think the wait was worth it.”

I touched the beads on the lace. “What are these for?”

“Just a decoration for those who are coming.
It is a symbol of who and what I am.” He escorted me to the underwater seat then proceeded to bathe me.

“What is this company? I see you tense each time you mention them and it seems you become more lost in thought the closer the time comes.”

“They are the Ancients.
The leaders of the immortal realm who enforce the laws to be obeyed for those of us who cross over.”

“And they think you've done something to break those laws? How could they possibly even know?”

“Because someone in my house told them.”
The level of bitterness was thick in his words. “And yes, they think I have, at least that was what was stated in the letter. I'm not allowed to change anyone without the consent of the Ancients, unless they are my heart song.
Which you clearly are.”

“How did you know? I mean, what told you I was?”

“When I saw you that night, I felt your pain, your heart breaking. That's how I found you. You were absolutely devastated. I was going to intercede and save you but then Danst came along. I made the decision to bide my time and wait until you were a little older. But you had grown so overprotective of yourself and embittered towards anyone that showed you an interest.”

“There's something more about this company. Something you aren't telling me, but I can feel it's threatening you. Why?”

He gathered me in his arms and rested his chin on my shoulder. “You asked how old I was.” I nodded, feeling his body tense with fear. “I'm one of the oldest of my kind, also an Ancient.  I didn't think you would be as accepting of me if you knew my role
i
n the immortal realm. That's why I was so hesitant on telling you.”

I twisted to face him. “I guess I understand that. How did you become one?”

“I was one of the first of my kind to live here. I’m also the most powerful and the leader of all therianthropes. So, I was born into it.”

“You're like, their king?”

“More like their God and there aren’t any kingdoms. We live together in tribes, so to speak, scattered across the realm. The lands are equally divided amongst the races to help promote peace and keep the balance.”

“How is it that this world has remained hidden for all these years?”

“Magic protects the portal. It won't allow humans to pass through.”

I bowled over, feeling the slice of another cramp tear into my torso, like fire in open wounds. Marren's hands s lowly rubbed my back. My body felt as though it was turning inside out just as the pain started to subside. It trickled away bit by tiny bit. I started shaking, my heart was beating frantically. My mouth swelled with a sour taste from
nausea
that clung to me. Taking deep breaths helped, but not completely. The pain wouldn’t fade entirely. As soon as the sickness passed, I sat up and opened my eyes. Light from the moon filled the room. I looked up…it was nearly full.