Enchantingly Different

Chapter 16

Flakes start to fall from the heavens as we near the dark mountains. I look up to the sky, and a large flake lands on my cheek. I’m taken aback when it doesn’t feel cold like I would expect it to. I rub at it with my forefinger and it crumbles with very little force. I regard it closely and find it to be light grey.  

“It’s raining ash,” I state, looking to Shae. “Is this some kind of magic?”

She laughs, but then stops when she sees my serious expression.

“I take it that you haven’t come across this before?”

“No,” I respond with a frown. “I haven’t even left the valley up until recent, remember?”

She lifts her arm and points to one of the mountains. It looks like the rest, except there’s a large cloud of bellowing smoke coming from the tip and mixing in with the atmosphere, adding to the gloomy feel of this land.

“That there is a volcano.”

I scrunch my brow in concentration. I remember back from when I was younger when I was told about mountains of fire that spew hot liquid that can burn a man alive. My palms instantly start to sweat and my anxiety grows as we near closer to it.

“I’ve heard a little about them. Is it wise for us to be near it?”

“Not really, but this is the way we have to go,” she answers with a shrug. I watch her calmly pull up her hood again, perhaps to protect her hair from the ash, and we push forward. The ground rumbles beneath us and Taric falters a little, his ears swivelling wildly and his eyes scanning the area. I pat his neck reassuringly, despite the fear that is rising in me. I can’t show that I’m afraid, I think to myself, taking deep breaths.

I take a drink from my flask and note how dangerously low the levels are. I would guestimate that I will run out in just a few hours. If it were warm out, then I probably would have ran out long ago, so I can at least be thankful for that.

“Robert, your highness!” I turn in my seat and see Hector riding up alongside me. His visor is up and he looks very pale. “The men need to stop and rest.”

“No,” Shae snaps to him. “Do you know how close we are? Besides, this area is a dangerous one to stop in, even for a moment. We should try to keep moving.”

“Sir…”

“Shae,” I say quietly for only her ears. “We probably should stop just for a short time. Who knows what is waiting in those mountains for us. The men should recuperate to be ready for what’s to come.” I reach out a hand and rest it on her thigh, rubbing my thumb in small circles. She bites her lip and looks at me with uncertain eyes. She gives me a reluctant, small nod of her head.

“Over there,” she says simply, pointing over to an area surrounded by tall rock. “We can hide in there and hope that nothing comes our way. We shouldn’t stop for long. We don’t know when the sun will turn.”

The group of men collapse in heaps on the rocks, some of them laying in the dirt, their chests heaving to get as much air as possible. It’s a sad state to see, and these are supposed to be the strongest, bravest men of Avonzia. I dismount and wander over to Shae, who stands stroking her mare and whispering softly.

I slip an arm around her waist, pulling her back close to me. I remove her hood and sweep her hair to the side before dipping my head to kiss the side of her neck softly. She trembles beneath my touch and lets out a quiet sigh, melting into me and tipping her head to the side to give me easier access. I nibble at the skin there, making her breath catch.

“I miss you,” I whisper in her ear. “I can’t wait to get you home and into my bed.”

I slide my hand lower and, after a quick look around to see if anyone is observing us, I press my hand through her skirt to rub at the apex of her thighs. She lets out a soft whimper.