I remember why I didn't care for riding horses so much.
I couldn't feel my legs when we finally arrived in the City.
It had been a swift trip. I swear Jaliya's horse had wings, for we were to the gates of Daumari by dusk. We were allowed into the city discreetly, thanks to Jaliya's position, and she took us immediately to her townhouse. It was small, but well-furnished. It looked immaculately preserved, as if she barely ever was here.
Stumbling in, off that damn horse, I felt relief at the fact that I was on solid ground again. Taking my hand, Jaliya led me up the steps, and into her house. Immediately, a servant girl was there, ready for any orders her mistress might have for her.
"Please, a hot bath and dinner for the man in the guest room, please." I inwardly sighed in relief. She at least had the sense to see that neither of us was in the right state of mind to fight our eternal battle of lust tonight. As the girl scurried off, I turned to her.
"Jaliya," Her name came out softly, and she turned to me, weary from her day of travel. Taking her hands, in a move I wouldn't normally pull on her, I kissed one cheek gently, then the other. "Thank you, Jaliya."
"For what, love?" The endearing tone wasn't something I heard often anymore; it rang sweeter than any chorus of angels.
"Everything."
She raised her eyebrows, a smile playing on her lips, words unspoken dancing in her gaze.
"And I hope you sleep well, after such a day of..."
"Of hunting you like quarry?" She chuckled, removing herself from my grasp, cupping my chin in her hands, and kissing me sweetly and passionately. "I had a ball doing it." She regarded me carefully. "You have some weird friends though, love."
I flushed a bit. "Yeah, well..." I sighed. "Good night, Jaliya. I hope you sleep deeply tonight."
She grinned, taking my hand. "Come, I'll show you to your room. It's right next door to mine."
Gliding up the stairs and down the hall, we came to a room overlooking the wide city streets beyond me, and it even had a balcony, although I could see that was chained off. "I can't have you dancing around above the streets if you're technically supposed to be my prisoner." She looked slightly sheepish. "Dinner will be up shortly, and there's a bath in the wash room, just for you." Hugging me gently, she backed out of the room. "I'll be in to check on you in an hour or two."
As the door shut, I sighed, and fair flew to the bathroom. A long, hot bath sounded fantastic right now, and I couldn't wait to just sink into the tub and let all the tension of being around her soak out of me.
***************
I breathed in the air around me, gathering it close to my breast, a ball of energy filling me like tides fill pools, and I let it out slowly, slowly, a steady sort of fire that shot out of me in a concentrated sort of stream. Again, in and out, ball of energy, stream of fire, over and over again. I knew he wouldn't be pleased if I didn't practice this till perfection.
So caught up was I in my meditation that I didn't notice him slip into the study. I sensed something was up, and took one final breath, and let one final breath, one final stream of fire out.
Except for some reason, I couldn't let it out of me.
My heart raced, and I struggled against immense power, fighting to let the fire out of me before it burned me from the inside out. I pushed back; I knew it was his power, I knew he was testing me, and my ability to go against him. No matter how much I told myself that he wouldn't let me die from this, the fight or flight instinct was still there.
