Xov & Xau - Book 01: Poisoned Heart

Amidst the clashing of weapons and men grunting in the practice yard, Derzan swung his axe. The blade impacted with a shield and he spun with the impact to avoid the slice of a sword. Completing the turn, he lifted his blade over his head in preparation for an overhand strike.

"Derzan."

He paused, axe in the air, and turned his head to the side to keep one eye on his sparring partner. Rugen was the type to take advantage of a distraction.

Demus, the general of the army, stood in the shade of a doorway onto the practice grounds. "Pahil wants to see you." The man was big, for someone mostly human, and he didn't look pleased to be playing messenger. Although, his black eyes were always empty in his pale, skeletal face. The man never looked pleased.

Derzan lowered the axe to his shoulder and shut his resentment at being summoned into a mental box.

Pahil owned the witch who spelled Derzan and his men. In return for that service, they provided mercenary work. It was one thing those with minotaur in their blood were good for. Without the witch's magic to spread the poison that their hearts sent through their bodies with every beat, they'd all have died years ago.

More failures.

It rankled to have to rely on the power hungry psycho. What would he order done this time? Although the work enabled Derzan and his hoard to live, living with what Pahil ordered them to do was harder each time. His love of perversion and power knew no bounds.

A headache formed between the stubs where Derzan's horns used to be, but he resisted the urge to rub his brow. Losing them had been the initial price of the witch's magic. If the minotaurs stepped out of line, the witch could use their horns to inflict spells on them.

Derzan wiped the sweat from his forehead on a sleeve. His men paused their sparring. He waved at them to continue as he sheathed his axe and headed toward Demus. Pahil would have to accept his less than pristine condition.

They entered the hallway of white marble walls inlaid with gold. No expense had been spared to construct Pahil's monument to himself -- a five story palace built in a place ripped from the jungle one tree at a time and ruthlessly kept tamed.

In the throne room, a man with Demus' looks, but a smaller stature, stood to the left of the throne. Like the minotaurs, the brothers Demus and Jikol shared an affliction of their hearts. Not poison, since they couldn't be bound to Derzan and his hoard, but something was killing them.

The leather clad, wild-bearded barbarian, Baje, a recent addition to Pahil's court, didn't look afflicted, nor did he have anyone he was bonded to. Not that he'd brought to court, anyway. That probably made him the smartest of all of them. Once Pahil knew what was valued, that was what he targeted.

Pahil occupied his throne -- a golden chair on a dais. His great bulk was draped in golden robes and crown. He hardly glanced up as Derzan and Demus took their places on either side of him.

Black hood up, arms crossed, and hands tucked into wide flowing sleeves, the incubus, Haqu, stood in front of Pahil. Behind him, the rest of the throne room stood empty except for the posts and chains Pahil used to keep his witches bound.

"You've tested the new witch Baje acquired." Pahil's voice oozed anticipation. "Tell us."

Derzan stiffened. Normally, he was sent to retrieve witches. Had Pahil figured out what Derzan and his men were doing? That couldn't be it. They'd all be dead if Pahil even suspected betrayal.

Haqu nodded. "She sees visions of the future."

"On command?"

"She can be... guided." Haqu shook his head. "But there is more detail when the sight happens naturally."

Will she be able to tell others of the visions?"

"No. She won't reveal what she says when she's Seeing."

"Very well. Bring in the new witch."

The incubus bowed and went to a side door, returning moments later leading a young woman by the hand. Her dark hair spilled over her shoulders to her waist. Wide green eyes took in the men arrayed around the room. Her translucent pale blue, gauzy gown with high slits displayed almost all of her sienna-hued skin and hugged her curves, fluttering around her small feet as she scooted closer to Haqu.

"It's all right." Incubus magic wove through the air. "No one here will harm you."

That wasn't true. If the king decided pain would get him what he wanted, every man present would hurt the Seer. But incubus magic calmed her, and she relaxed.

Leading her to the middle of the room, Haqu turned the besotted woman to face Pahil.

"Show us what the Seer can do." Pahil twitched his fingers in an impatient get-on-with-it gesture.

Haqu kissed her. Her eyes fluttered closed. She made a needy sound in her throat and pressed herself against him.

Pahil leaned forward. The power of the incubus was one of his favorite weapons. Seeing helpless women humiliated with sex fed some twisted desire in him.

The Seer stiffened in Haqu's arms and pulled back from their kiss. He caught her chin in his fingers, forcing her gaze to his. "Relax, kitten."

She did, eyes going distant. The Seer responded readily to Haqu's lure. That was how he kept her obedient, and could guarantee she would remember nothing of what she saw.

"How would you like to her shown?"

"Naked and chained."

Of course. That's how Pahil wanted to see all witches. Although he wielded magic as power, he hated magic and all those who could wield it.

Haqu led the Seer to the posts, urged her to spread her legs, and shackled her ankles, then reached up to close her wrists into manacles, leaving her in a tight X.

She wore a beatific, calm smile throughout being restrained, and when Haqu untied the strings at her neck to let her dress fall to her waist, revealing high, full breasts tipped with dark nipples.

He untied the strings at her hip so the material pooled on the floor between her feet, revealing long, toned legs, and a high, narrow waist curving to shapely hips.

Keeping one hand on her bared skin, Haqu circled behind her and slid his hands over her. Spread as she was, all she could do was take his attentions. He cupped her breasts and toyed with her nipples, rolling them between his fingers before giving them sharp pinches hard enough to make her cry out.

Her head fell back onto his shoulder as he left her breasts to run his hands down her ribs and waist to her hips. He caressed her thighs, stroking down the outside, then drawing his fingers up her inner thighs, making her squirm in her bondage.

He drew a finger down her spine and she arched, then he slipped his fingers between her legs and she gasped as he played with her pussy. With his free hand, he fisted her hair and pulled.

Her body flushed, and she panted.

"Are you going to be a good kitten, and tell me what you see?"

"Yes."

As the incubus manipulated her and her pleasure spiked, magic flowed through the room, making the hair on Derzan's arms rise.

The Seer snapped her head up and her eyes glowed as she scanned the room until her gaze landed on Derzan, where he stood behind Pahil. "I see your witch in Bliora."

Her magic stuck him like lightning.

A flurry of images stunned Derzan. A woman with long dark hair and huge brown eyes rimmed in gold. Slim build, smooth copper skin. The way she moved, all sinuous grace reminded him of...

Fire seared the air and smoke choked him as buildings burned. His axe rose and fell, flinging blood through the air. People screamed and begged.

Poison flowed through him. An icy sensation that amplified as his men felt the same thing. He roared and hacked at a man in front of him.

A scuffing behind him sent him whirling, axe raised. A woman bleeding from several wounds and clutching a bundle to her chest stared at him. Wide brown eyes with elongated pupils pleaded silently.

Snakes, his mind roared. Kill the snakes! A vision of his brothers cowering in front of a woman with snakes for hair. A second picture of them as statues. Kill all the snakes!

Pahil. Those memories and feelings were his.

He didn't have brothers. Not in that sense. Only the members of his hoard. Brothers bound together not by blood, but poison. Heart pounding, cold poison rushing through him, Derzan began the downward strike.

As she cowered and hunched over her bundle, a breeze blew the rags and uncovered her... baby. A second pair of brown eyes stared at him, slightly elongated pupils, a gold circle glowing around her irises.

For a second, one blissful moment, the poison in him vanished. He diverted the killing blow, slamming his axe into the wall next to the woman as he extended his free hand.

The woman let out a choked sob and tightened her arms around her child. Of course she didn't want him to touch her baby. He was a monster. The baby flailed in her mother's grip, one little arm wrestling free. Her tiny fingers closed around one of his huge ones.

Tranquility and warmth filled him. He gaped at the infant. What had she done?

He jerked his hand away and snarled, "Run."

The woman didn't hesitate.

The baby, now grown, returned to the forefront of his thoughts. She danced. Firelight kissed her skin as her body moved in rhythm to music that thrummed through his body, but didn't reach his ears. Little creatures with iridescent wings fluttered around her. Fairies. The witch was with Fae in Bliora. Just the thought of her slowed the poison in him even as his heart beat faster.

He'd spared her before. He wasn't sure he could do it again. Bringing her to Pahil. though... at the least it was life imprisonment. At the worst, a slow, painful death.

When he'd let her go before, the poison hadn't been so bad. Now it was agony every day and getting worse.

A sob brought him back to the throne room. Haqu had ended his magic, making the witch aware of what had just happened. Pahil took in a deep breath as a tear slid down her cheek. Just the one, though, before she stood straighter in her bondage, raised her head and leveled a glare at each man watching her with her eerily glowing eyes.

A slow smile curved her lips. Was she Seeing something for each of them now?

"Take her away." Pahil, bored with the entertainment now that the witch wasn't crying, waved a hand. "And, Haqu. Next time I see that witch, make sure she is broken."

Haqu unlocked the manacles and scooped the Seer into his arms. With that spooky smile, she pulled his hood down to expose his face and murmured something to him. Whatever she said caused his golden skin to go a few shades paler.

Derzan stared after the departing pair. Maybe he could talk to her. Find out what put that expression on her face, and if he could help whatever she saw to make that happen come to pass.

"Derzan," Pahil snapped.

He moved to stand in front of the king.

"I will have an artist draw a rendering of what I saw. Go to Bliora. Find this witch and bring her to me."

Bliora was a few days' sail across the Sleeping Sea. Derzan wasn't looking forward to that journey, but maybe by the time he arrived, he'd know what to do.

He bowed. "My hoard and I will ride for the coast immediately."

CHAPTER TWO

EFI

Perched high in an oak tree, Efi concentrated on her cupped hand so hard her eyes crossed. A wisp of green mist swirled around her palm. She willed it to take form and become her spirit animal. This was such a simple thing for all the Fae she lived with. Even the youngest child could do it.

But not her.

The faint trace of magic disappeared. She bit back despair. Her magic was fading. If it vanished completely, she'd never get it back.

And she might die.

The empty place inside her grew bigger faster lately, and she worried it might swallow her. She'd rather be dead than live as an unthinking shell, empty eyes staring at nothing.

Willow's long brown hair blew in a breeze made by the gentle wings of her spirit animal -- an orange butterfly. Her bare toes peeked out from the hem of her long green dress as she swung her feet. She patted Efi's knee. "Maybe the Dream Walker can help you find out what you are. She lives west of here. In the Visions Cave."

Efi hadn't left the Fae forest before. The plains and mountains to the west didn't appeal to her. The trees, though not quite right, felt more like home.

"So I just walk west?"

Her friend nodded. "If the Dream Walker has something you need to see, she will guide you to the cave so you can dream."

That had been an option the whole time? "Why didn't you tell me of the Dream Walker before?" Efi tried to keep the resentment out of her voice. It was no secret she'd always longed to know more about herself and where she came from. Why hide this knowledge from her?

Willow gave her a small smile, her luminous green eyes sad. "It's dangerous. You won't be in control of your dreams. There's no way to know what you'll see. Sometimes people don't come back."

"I have to figure something out soon." All she knew about herself was that she'd been found and raised by Fae even though she wasn't one. "I'll go tomorrow." Before she lost her courage.

Or her magic died. It faded away more every day.

"Then we'll have a celebration tonight." Willow clapped her hands.

Efi smiled. The Fae loved parties and had them for any reason.

Willow leapt up and balanced on the branch, long dress swirling. "Efi, you have to dance! Please say you will. We'll get the others to play the fiddle and drums. You know how Squeak loves it when you do your butterfly dance."

The orange butterfly alit on Efi's knee and flapped her wings wildly as she spun in a circle.

Efi laughed. "Of course I will." It was the one thing she could do better than the Fae. As graceful as they were, they had no rhythm.

Efi groaned as wings tickled her face. She opened one eye and sat up, startling the fairies buzzing around her head. It was already well into the morning. Sunlight streamed in the windows of her tree-house. She'd overslept! The celebration had gone on late into the night, and all the dancing had left her pleasantly exhausted. There wasn't a strict schedule she had to keep to, but she'd hoped if she started early enough, she wouldn't have to sleep on the plains tonight.

She held out her hand and tried to conjure her spirit animal. The usual faint green wisp appeared and vanished. Even indulging in more Fae wine than she should have hadn't helped.

With a sigh, she pulled on her brown traveling leathers and scooped up the pack she'd had the foresight to prepare before the party. Outside, she shimmied down the trunk and stepped into a crowd awaiting her. She accepted wishes of good luck and a fast journey as she made her way through the Fae. They'd probably have another party tonight to celebrate wishing her good luck.

"You're sure you have everything?" Thistle, the woman who'd been a mother to her, fussed, patting her hands over Efi and the pack. Her round face wore her usual kind expression, as her warm, sky-blue eyes ran over Efi's attire. "Enough food? Warm clothes? Blankets? Gifts?"

"Follow the river. It goes due west." Blaze, her father, and one of the Fae guardians, pulled Thistle aside and hugged Efi briskly. In contrast to his wife, he looked extra stern, with his orange hair pulled back into a tight braid and the hilt of his sword visible over his shoulder. "Don't forget to take your daggers."

Efi patted her hips. She practiced with the guardians every day. Something about being a protector felt like a calling. They made fun of her choice of two small, curved blades rather than one bigger sword, but that was fine. Speed was her best talent. The swords just slowed her down. "I have them. And enough food and supplies. And the gifts. I should only be gone for a couple of days."

A few more hugs from Willow and Thistle, and Efi walked out of the tree house village and into the forest. She listened to the trees as she hiked, but they still wouldn't speak to her. Tiny fairies flitted around her for the first few hours.

She paused when she came to the treeline in the early afternoon. A glance backward showed empty forest behind her. Even the fairies hadn't come this far, and they weren't scared of anything. She had to do this on her own. Facing forward again, she stepped into the unknown.

The river burbled cheerfully as the sun beat down on her. Sweat trickled down her spine and she shifted her pack. She'd never realized how much she would miss shade. Hope she'd reach her destination soon kept her feet marching until the sun neared the horizon.

Where was the best place to sleep? The idea of spending the night in the open sent her heart pounding. But there weren't any trees anywhere. Not even a bush. Just miles and miles of grass and an occasional boulder.

Maybe she could hide against one of those. If she huddled low, the grass would hide her from sight. She hadn't seen anyone on her travels, but who knew if night would be different? Leaving the river, she cut through the thigh-high grass to a red boulder that stood alone. Slinging her pack to the ground, she sat next to it and leaned back.

Overhead, blue darkened into a black expanse full of twinkling lights. The stars of the empyrean had never seemed so numerous before. Without the forest canopy, the sky seemed much bigger.

She tried to stay awake, but her eyelids drooped, and tiredness weighed her down. A gentle touch caressed her mind and urged her into slumber. Visions of the landscape around her appeared. The river. The wind wending a path through the grass to a hill. A left turn. The visions ended at a cave, then restarted.

The Visions Cave.

Efi opened her eyes to a brightening sky, surprised she'd slept at all, much less for so long. She remained upright, her back against the rock she'd found last night. Sore muscles announced themselves, but she could stretch the aches out as she walked.

Anxious to find the Visions Cave, she ate a fast breakfast of bread and cheese, packed up, and set off at a pace that didn't give her body time to protest.

Midday, the hill she'd seen in her dream came into view and she cheered. She made the left turn and hiked faster toward a rocky outcropping in the distance.

"Welcome." The soft voice sounded more in Efi's head than aloud as she hesitated at the entrance.

"Thank you." Sunlight poured into the cave, illuminating a vast grey cavern. Should she try to sleep? Her body certainly felt tired enough to sleep for a week, but the idea of sleeping here, where anyone could walk into the cave, made her shiver.

"Come in." This time, the voice came from the back of the cave.

A tunnel led to the right. She hesitated, then forced her feet to move. Going down into the earth made her skin itch after living in trees her whole life.

The stone corridor guided her deeper, although the light didn't change. A steady, warm glow lit the way until it opened into a cozy space where colorful rugs lay scattered on the floor. A couch with thick cushions and a low table laden with food and drinks stood in front of a fire burning in the hearth.

"Efi. I'm Leho. Have a seat." A woman with golden, chin-length hair and light eyes sat on the couch and beckoned Efi closer. "Help yourself to food and drink."

"Are you the Dream Walker?" Efi took a few slows steps farther into the room.

"No. I've been here two days and not seen her this time. She told me you were coming."

"Oh." Efi put her pack on the floor and sat down. "I don't mean to intrude on your time here."

"You're not. There is plenty of room."

"You said this time. You've been here before?"

Leho poured tea into two cups, handed one to Efi, and leaned back. "Yes. I've been coming here since I was a girl. My mother brought me here for the first them when I was four."

"Have you ever seen the Dream Walker?" Efi helped herself to some sweet smelling juice from one of the pitchers. "I've only heard her voice when I was half asleep."