The Crossing (Book One)

Chapter Eight: The Water Shed

Small tingling sensations traveled briskly from her fingertips throughout her entire body countless times over a heartbeat. It penetrated the comforting darkness with flashes of platinum light. In the distance, rumbling approached steadily and caused slight vibrations through the darkening room.

There was a dull ache in her head, and Aurora rubbed her temples softly. Something dropped from her hand and tumbled onto her stomach.

She blinked repeatedly as she refocused on the shadows around her, willing them to take shape. Her hands found the trinket and she sat up in the large bed. Calmness settled over her as she recognized what she held.

Tezaro's medallion, clutched tightly in her hand, provided her with a sense of safety. It was too important to him to leave it behind. He would return for it and in essence for her.

As she stood from the bed, she noticed a yellow stone braced against the wall like a sconce. It cast a soft, glowing light in the room that allowed her to study her surroundings.

There was a chair blocking the door to her right that she thought was best left alone. She walked to another opened doorway and discovered an adjoining room where she found a tub, a washbowl filled with water, and a pumping fixture that resembled a latrine.

There was a slender pump at the edge of the room that provided water. It may have been only a trickle, but she didn't complain after washing the sand away and feeling restored.

As she washed, she removed the bandages from her hands and revealed raw skin. The cool water eased some of the stinging pain. She would have to ask Tezaro to rebandage them later.

Before dressing again she dusted her clothes as best she could rid them of sand. She raked her fingers through her damp hair and decided braiding it would be the only way to tame it.

Having attended to her needs, she returned to the main room and looked out the window onto the city. The buildings appeared domed and simply made, but further than that she could not distinguish with the waning light.

She leaned closer to the windowpane. Behind the shadows occasional flashes tore the sky. Vibrations rolled through the ground and caused the windows to rattle visibly. In one of the brief flashes of radiant light, Aurora saw the outline of a shadowy figure.

The figure jumped across the buildings and grew closer. Moments later the dark silhouette appeared at her window. A sliver of panic sliced through her, but it was quickly subdued. She had already come to know the familiar form of her protector.

Tezaro entered the room as silent as the shadows invaded the light. He carried a couple of new bags that appeared full. After he placed them on the table, he turned to her.

"How are you feeling? You seem to be making a habit of fainting. Or is it you prefer to be carried?" He shook another of the yellow stones and more light shone around them. His teasing caused her to blush though he did not notice as he lit a candle.

"I'm fine, thank you." She turned from him. Lightning flashed outside and captured her attention as Tezaro finished rummaging through the bags.

"I bought us supplies and transportation for our journey. But it looks like we might be delayed. A sandstorm is coming, but it should not last long." He closed the bag and took the other.

"I've never seen one or been in one. Are they common?" Aurora turned to face him.

"They are seasonal. We're lucky we got out of the desert when we did. The powerful ones can last for days at a time. The common room downstairs is probably buzzing with all kinds of travelers as they are huddling for shelter. Perhaps fortunate for us as I do not think we'll be noticed much."

He decided not to mention their entrance into the inn. Instead he drew closer to her and offered her the second bag. "This is for you." She took the bag from him and opened it.

"I do not know if they fit you, but you do need to change your clothing and blend in. I'll also bandage your hands again once you are done." He began to remove his sword and placed it on the table.

Aurora turned to go to the other room and hesitated. She remembered she still held in her palm a piece of Tezaro's medallion. She returned and offered his medallion on her open palm. "Here. Thank you for leaving it behind with me. I knew you'd return for it. It was very comforting." She looked up to him and smiled warmly.

Sparing only a momentary glance at the split medallion in her hand, he gazed deeply into her eyes. He lifted his hand toward her open palm; his fingers covered hers, and closed around her hand and the medallion.

"Until I have delivered you to Anthonias safely, keep it. It is yours. Know that I will always come back for you." Their eyes went to their locked hands.

Aurora's pulse quickened while Tezaro rubbed his thumb against her hand. His touch burned her with a physical awareness.

She raised her gaze at him and came under the full impact of his ash colored eyes. Heat, hotter than the desert, spread through her. Shocked at her attraction to him, she pulled back and quickly headed to the other room to change.

Aurora began to relieve the bag of its contents gradually. In it she found tall boots, soft tan leather pants, a small white tunic and a russet fitted vest. At the bottom of the bag was a thick hooded cloak, darker in color than any other article of clothing.

Carefully she placed her worn clothes into her backpack and quickly proceeded to change. When she was finished, she removed her locket from its chain and replaced it with Tezaro's medallion around her neck. She tucked her locket in the backpack and studied her reflection in the mounted oval mirror.

She couldn't help but smile at Tezaro's choice. Thinking about him brought on the realization that she felt a powerful attraction to him. His voice captivated her almost as much as his eyes. She wondered if the attraction was one sided.

Biting her lip with no answers, she flung both bags over her shoulder and draped the cloak over her arm.

When she came out of the room, Tezaro sat on a chair, leaning against the wall. His eyes roamed her body, appraisingly. His response was noncommittal, "They fit. Good."

Then he stood, took something out of the nearby bag, and motioned her to come to him. "Stretch out your arms." She placed the bags and cloak down then followed his orders. He walked behind her and looped a thin leather braided harness through her arms then sized it behind her.

"This is a dagger harness. The dagger hides beneath your clothing or cloak. Until you are properly trained you will wear it over your clothes. You're small, but should not be unarmed, just in case I'm not near." His hands lightly rested on her shoulders before he slowly stepped back and let her turn to him.

"You'll hardly be suspected of being armed and that will be to your advantage. Use it well. Practice reaching for your dagger. Like that. Until you can fully manage your powers, I recommend you leave the fighting to me." His lips quirked to the side: the ghost of a smile.

"Not that I mind you watching after me, but it does hurt the ego." He winked at her as he picked up the other bag. "As soon as I get cleaned up we'll bandage your hands." He walked to the adjoining room without a backwards glance and shut the door behind him.

She stared after him breathless and all he had done was winked at her. Suddenly, she was greatly tempted to know how his lips would feel against hers. Before she let the image consume her, she shook her head to gain clarity. They were friends, nothing more.

It seemed that the weather outside mirrored her conflicting emotions. The desert horizon possessed a dangerous beauty as lightning danced across it. The wind increased in fury and she shut the window's wooden panel tightly.

Her leg fidgeted as she sat waiting for Tezaro. There was no doubt in her mind that she was safe with him. Together they would find Lily in Mithoran. Where ever that was.

But if she was going to save Lily she needed to know more about this strange new world now. It was time for action. Aurora swung the cloak around her shoulders and headed out the room down to the crowded Common Room.