Part 30 (1/2)

”What do you want in return? What can I possibly offer you?” I asked.

The Lady of the Mists smiled then, and my blood ran cold. Her smile was ruthless, not evil or malign, but as cold as snow, as frozen as glacial ice.

”In time I will send someone to you. Someone connected with the mist and fog. You may not realize it when you meet her, but eventually you will remember this pact. You will help her. You will do whatever is needed to help her redeem herself. Do you understand?”

I nodded, my teeth chattering. Her touch sent me reeling with the cold. ”What happens if I say no?”

She laughed, her voice echoing through the fog that swirled around us, whirling pools of dancing mist. ”Then, my dear, you will journey over the abyss again, this time without a bridge.”

Realizing that I was backed into a corner, and feeling the hand of fate squeezing me tighter, I gave her my pledge.

”Close your eyes,” she whispered.

I did, and the next thing I knew, I fell forward, losing my grip on the handcuffs. My eyes flew open and I found myself tumbling toward the floor as if I'd been shoved hard from behind. I scrambled for balance, but Trillian was there and he leapt forward, catching me in his arms. I was back in Roche's room.

”I thought I'd lost you,” he whispered hoa.r.s.ely, a terrified look on his face. And then he was kissing me, and in the heat of that kiss, I tumbled headfirst into the fire.

5.

TRILLIAN lifted me off my feet as his lips fastened on to mine. I melted into the kiss, willing it to go on and on as I wrapped my legs around his waist. The fear of dying at Roche's hands, of being lost on the astral, of facing the Lady of the Mists, all rolled together into one big h.o.r.n.y rush as he kissed me. I slid my hands up to his hair, my fingers coiling tightly around the long silken strands. lifted me off my feet as his lips fastened on to mine. I melted into the kiss, willing it to go on and on as I wrapped my legs around his waist. The fear of dying at Roche's hands, of being lost on the astral, of facing the Lady of the Mists, all rolled together into one big h.o.r.n.y rush as he kissed me. I slid my hands up to his hair, my fingers coiling tightly around the long silken strands.

He pressed against my inner thighs, rigid and searching behind the front of his trousers. I s.h.i.+fted, rubbing against him, listening to his soft moan as he tightened his grip around my waist. His fingers sparkled with magic and every place he touched tingled, sending a trail of desire singing through my body.

”Do you think it's safe?” I eyed the bed, then the floor. The floor was a better choice. Fleas-not so much.

”Oh great G.o.ds, I want to say yes. I want you. But, no.”

”Will Roche come back here?” I lowered my legs to the floor and stepped back, panting raggedly.

Trillian reluctantly let go of me. It was then that I noticed he had a friend with him. Another Svartan, only with a well-trimmed beard. Stouter than Trillian, the man was leaning against the door frame, grinning. Yeah, we'd put on a little show, all right. I could see the amus.e.m.e.nt in his eyes.

”Oh, he'll be back,” Trillian said. ”He left too many valuables here and he'll want to make sure I didn't steal them.”

I swallowed my desire, trying to focus on the here and now. ”Are you going to introduce me to your friend?”

Trillian rubbed his chin. ”Right. I almost forgot. Sorry.”

”I think I was just insulted,” the man said.

”It wouldn't be the first time. Camille, this is Darynal, my blood-oath brother,” Trillian said, laughing. ”Darynal, meet Camille.” He sobered. ”I'm calling on our oath here. If this woman needs help, she may ask you for your a.s.sistance-in my name.”

The smile faded from Darynal's face. He bowed to me. ”Camille, consider me in your service. Whatever aid you need, I will do my best to provide. Whatever information you require, I will do my best to tell you.”

Feeling like I'd just been made an honorary Svartan, I cleared my throat. I wanted nothing more than to forget about Roche and the astral and the Lady of the Mists, and go f.u.c.k Trillian's brains out. But I managed to gather my wits and get back to the problem at hand.

I curtsied back. ”Thank you. I won't abuse the honor.” Turning to Trillian, I asked, ”What happened after Roche dragged me onto the astral?”

His eyes took on a dangerous glow. ”When I heard the commotion, I broke into the room. Roche had vanished and you were nowhere in sight. I searched everywhere. In the room, outside the building...but I couldn't find you. I did, however, pick up on the fact that he'd kidnapped you into a different realm. So I sent a message back to my hotel asking Darynal to meet me here.”

”You're just lucky I'm in the city this month. I don't usually trade here in Y'Elestrial,” Darynal interjected.

Trillian gave him a short nod, then turned back to me. ”I had no intention of leaving this area. If Roche came back without you and I managed to catch him, I would have taken a very dull knife and cut him over every inch of his body until he led me to you.”

I swallowed. I thought I I could be ruthless, but the look on Trillian's face was cruel enough to slice rock. He'd make one h.e.l.l of a nasty enemy. could be ruthless, but the look on Trillian's face was cruel enough to slice rock. He'd make one h.e.l.l of a nasty enemy.

Darynal just laughed. ”Trust him, he'd do it.”

I filled them in on my adventures in astral-land, including my encounter with the copse of trees and how the brambles had hid me from Roche's sight and sense of smell. I didn't didn't give them the rundown on meeting the Lady of the Mists. give them the rundown on meeting the Lady of the Mists. That That little tea party I needed to think over for a while before I said anything to anyone. Of course, Trillian noticed the oversight. little tea party I needed to think over for a while before I said anything to anyone. Of course, Trillian noticed the oversight.

”How did you get back here?” he asked.

”I found someone to help me,” I said, sidestepping the issue. ”Some astral spirit who was in a good mood. So did Roche show up?”

”You don't see any blood, do you?” Trillian shook his head. ”No, but trust me. He'll be back later, when he thinks we've given up. He's not going to want to leave this behind.” He hoisted a valise holding a number of magical scrolls, as well as several questionable objects. ”I found it in the closet. Locked, but most locks can't hold me out for long.”

”We need to keep watch so we can catch him when he shows up,” I said. ”But he can't know I'm back. If he thinks I'm still stuck over there on the astral, then he'll a.s.sume it's safe. And you'd better put in an appearance of leaving because ten to one, he's watching the building right now.” I frowned, digging through the items. Spell scrolls, potions, a few charms-all stuff that I could happily make use of.

Grabbing my bag from where I'd left it on the chair, I upended the valise into it, swiping the scrolls along with everything else that he'd squirreled away. Then, I closed the trunk and set it back in place.

Glancing up, I said, ”I lost my iron handcuffs along the way, but I can find another pair in the markets. The scrolls are magical. Roche probably bought a b.u.t.t load of magic to help with his little hack-up-the-women art project.”

I looked up to find Trillian and Darynal watching me. They were both grinning. ”What? What did I do now?”

Trillian shook his head, laughing gently. ”Oh, Camille, you're truly a woman after my heart.” When I gave him a quizzical look, he just smiled.

”Okay,” I said. ”How are we going to work this?”

Darynal shrugged. ”I suggest that Trillian leave rather noticeably via the front door. You sneak out the back-if you're around, chances are Roche will be able to sense your energy signature. I'll stay here and hide.”

”Sounds good to me,” I said.

”Both of you get a move on, then. He doesn't know I'm with you since I didn't enter the building with you. I'll hide in the closet. If I can trip him up, I will.” Darynal replaced the valise where it had been and opened the closet door, grimacing when he saw the cobwebs strung through the s.p.a.ce. ”Honestly, don't they have any maids around here?”

”We'll return after we've found disguises,” Trillian said. ”I wish we had cell phones over here.”

I stared at him. ”What the h.e.l.l is a cell phone cell phone? My mother taught me about something called a telephone over Earthside. Any relation?”

Trillian nodded. ”Yes. Cell phones are portable communication devices.”

”Wait!” I stared at him. He'd spoken far too calmly for what he just said. ”You've been been Earthside, haven't you? You've used these Earthside, haven't you? You've used these cell cell phones before!” phones before!”

He raised one eyebrow. ”I'm not at liberty to discuss it.”

”Just you wait,” I said. ”When we have more time, we're going to sit down and have a good, long talk.”

Trillian grabbed me and gave me a quick kiss. ”Not before we have a good, long f.u.c.k.”