Falling for the Enemy (Sun and Moon Book 1)

Chapter 10 - Flying

         We've been running forever. Dodging through the trees, pausing to rest only to start again, faster than before, at the sound of the soldiers chasing after us. They're close on our heels, but I can't run any farther.      

         If I try I fear I will collapse, and though Lee is faring better, it isn't by much. I stumble, a grass green slipper catches on a branch and stays there, leaving me hobbling after Lee. He stops, glaring at our surroundings with flashing amber eyes.

         He's as afraid as I am. Somehow, the thought is reassuring.

         We're both panting, leaning against each other, praying for a stroke of luck. “We… we can't keep… keep going. Not… not like this.”

         My words are gasped out--I need water, food, rest. And so does Lee.

         He nods. “I know. I know!” He looks around wildly, searching for a way out. He finds none. The soldiers are coming--the earth rumbles and I can hear their shouts, and the barking of their dogs. We are dead if we stay here. I take Lee's hand again, preparing my exhausted body to run some more.

         But Lee tugs my fingers, stopping me. He turns me to face him, his golden almond eyes capturing me as they always do. “Kara-” His gaze darts to the trees again, where the barking and shouts are getting louder.

         “Yeah?”

         His eyes find mine again, and his fingers clutch my arms. “Do you trust me, Kara?”

         I stare into his eyes. He is the enemy--a firebender. A liar. My savior. I nod.

         “Yes. Yes, I do.”

         He pulls me close, pressing our bodies together, and I am confused even as I marvel at the feel of his hard muscles molding to me. “Then hold on, Kara, and don't let go.”

         I nod, twining my arms around his neck. He drops his arms to his sides, and takes a deep breath. Then, on an exhale that warms my head like Aki's curling stick does, he lifts us into the air. I close my eyes, feeling the heat of the fire that shoots from his closed fists as we shoot into the sky. I don't look, I only tighten my arms around him and pray to anyone who is listening to please, please get us out of here safely.

**__**

         Zuko breathed as evenly as he could with Katara--Kara--pressed tightly against him. Keeping them aloft required all of his attention, but it took all of his willpower to keep his mind off her soft curves and the way her chocolate hair--no!

         With ruthless determination, he forced his mind back to his bending, flipping onto his back in the air and propelling them over the forest, deeper and deeper into the Earth Kingdom. He knew he couldn't keep expending so much energy for long, but hopefully it would be long enough to get them away from those soldiers.

         Even as he had the thought, though, he knew that he wouldn't be able to. Their best chance was to find a place to hide, a place where the soldiers hopefully wouldn't think to look. “Kara?”

         Her brilliant blue eyes were squeezed shut, and he could feel her trembling. He ignored it as best he could, but already he was exhausted, and she was heavier than she looked. “Y-yeah?”

         “I need you to look down there, and tell me if you see anywhere we can hide. I can't keep this up forever.”

         “I… I don't know if I can.”

         “You have to, Kara. You have to.”

         She drew in a deep breath, and her arms tightened around his neck. Then, ever so slowly, she opened her eyes, and stared down at the ground.

         A shudder leapt through her, then she stilled, and Zuko kept his focus on his bending, doing his best to make his strength last. “Kara...” He tried to keep his voice steady, but the tension and exhaustion he felt shone through, he knew.

         It was another five minutes, at least, before her voice rang out, and by then Zuko was close to dropping them from the sky. He knew that if he had been alone, he would have let himself fall long ago.

         “There! I think it's some sort of shrine.”

         He breathed a sigh of relief. “Hold on.” With that, he turned in the air again, and let go, dropping them straight down. Kara screamed, and Zuko prayed that he'd have the strength to stop their free fall.