Page 16 of Stormlost

‘Sereh,’ the shocked voice gasped.

Eyes opening wide, she jerked her arm free from the too-tight grip, the floor solid beneath her feet.

She met the harsh, angry eyes of Jon, his chest rising and falling too quickly, as he scoured her.

‘What by the Gods do you think you’re doing, Sereh?’

Momentarily, his anger rendered her speechless.

Turning, free from his grip, she couldn’t help but look at what she’d done. The bridge was so narrow. How hadn’t she fallen in? Coughing on the acrid air, she thrust her cloak against her mouth once more, heart thudding in her chest.

She swallowed, tasting heat and sweat. It was so hot, she couldn’t even think of an excuse for the risk she’d taken when she turned back towards him.

‘Jon,’ she expelled. ‘Thank you.’

‘Come this way,’ he demanded, angrily, dragging her towards the tunnel and as she followed him, almost blindly, she felt another gust of cool wind.

She looked up.

‘What by all the Gods?’ she exclaimed. A mighty azure dragon flew above them, over the orange lake.

‘Come this way,’ Jon remonstrated, pulling her, even while she looked at the dragons almost in the same spot she’d been standing in only moments ago. Dragon after dragon flew above the bridge. They were every colour imaginable: red, bronze, silver, blue, green, yellow, mauve and so many more and variations within those colours – their hides reflecting redly in the glow from the hot stream.

Abruptly, she lost sight of them all, as Jon thrust her deeper into the tunnel, the coolness of black stone closing above her head.

‘No.’ She fought against his hold, desperate to view the stunning scene. Jon’s grip intensified. He turned to face her, a hand on either shoulder, digging into her tunic. Momentarily, she saw the fear on his face.

‘Come away. You mustn’t let them see or smell you. It’ll be the death of you. Stop fighting me, girl, and get a move on.’ He pushed her so he stepped in front of her, blocking the passage back to the bridge. ‘If you don’t stop fighting me, I’ll have no choice but to slap you. Now come on. It’s for your own good.’

His threat of violence stilled her, combined with the furious look on his face, which made her think it was no idle statement. She shuddered. Rankil was never slow with a good slap, kick or punch. She never wished to feel belittled by another man again. Even one who’d certainly saved her from an unpleasant death.

Sullenly, she stopped struggling, shaking loose from his hold. She stalked in front of him, head held high, as the air cooled enough she could remove her cloak from her mouth.

She wanted answers.

7

SEREH

Somehow she knew not to speak within the tunnel.

An uncomfortable silence hung between them. The arm, where Jon had grabbed her, started to throb. She desperately wanted answers but equally didn’t want to be the first to speak. She stalked on in silence, desperate for a drink of cool water and the feel of cold air on her face.

The passageway lightened with every step, and as soon as she saw the real beginnings of daylight creeping nearer, she shrugged off Jon’s temper and ran to the small opening. It wasn’t screened with a curtain like all the other doorways. There was even a build-up of snow which had drifted inside the last few dragon lengths of the inky black floor.

She stepped outside into the purple sunrise and breathed in the fresh, frozen air.

She sighed with pleasure. It felt fantastic to be outside. She pulled her cloak onto her shoulders relishing the cold.

‘What to do now,’ she mumbled to herself. She surveyed her surroundings, looking for the means to escape. ‘That’s not what I expected,’ she admitted, quickly feeling defeated. She might have felt as though she’d walked forever, but she remained high up on the mountain, as a quick glance to the side showed her, as she scrambled up a pile of black stone. Not to be daunted, she walked to the other side of the small area, and did the same. The view was similar.

She’d walked throughout much of the night, and yet, the mountain was so tall, she’d yet to make it even halfway down to the ground.

‘What now?’ She felt deflated, and caught sight of Jon glowering at her from inside the passageway. His gaze burned. She flinched from his simmering anger.

‘What do you think you’re doing?’ Despite his fury, his voice was calm.

‘I wanted to see where you hunted. I heard you and Elen last night. I woke early this morning and saw you leave. I followed you. Is there a problem? Finn showed me the warrens. I thought it would be acceptable to see where you hunted.’ She endeavoured to sound carefree, even though her hopes of escape were crushed. Not that she could tell him that.