The Bepelled Knight Read online

  Cale stared at the place he’d taken shelter. It was a rocky ledge carved high into a mountain—almost unreachable; a cave sat in the far back, large enough to fit his massive frame. If he hadn’t had wings to carry him, he doubted he’d have made it to the top. Surely being so high up would keep him safe until he was able to heal. No one, or thing, could reach him. And maybe if he kept telling himself that he’d start to believe it too. Every inch of him hummed with energy and put him on high alert. Some kind of dragon early warning signs to alert him of danger. His heart raced inside of his chest—faster and faster until he could no longer ignore it. There was something out there so powerful it could fell a dragon.

  Something had turned the beast to stone and made it hibernate until it could locate a willing, or rather uninformed, host. He had learned a hard lesson. One that should have been clear since the moment he’d realized they were in a magical realm and flowers had tried to squeeze the life out of him. Nothing in Malediction should be taken for granted. If it was too good to be true, chances are it was. The ring was another trap to make sure they never left. Malediction didn’t like letting go of its prisoners.

  A wave of power washed over him. It wasn’t his, and he didn’t recognize its owner—not that he’d become acquainted with many magic wielding beings. The dragon; however, had. It’s memories, or at least part of them thus far, had merged with Cale. He couldn’t be certain if he’d learn more as time went by or not, but he was sure of one thing: he didn’t like any of it. Somehow, he had to find the energy to move and stay far away from the being who utilized it. If they reached him, they’d make sure he never breathed again. If he died, then he’d be unable to help Elodie. He couldn’t allow that to happen.

  He loved her, had always loved her. Otherwise, he’d never have trained her in any form of combat. He could deny her nothing and would always protect her. So why couldn’t he battle the pain coursing through his blood and go to her? Something was holding him back and keeping him trapped on the mountain ledge. He could be fighting a losing battle, and it might be too late for him. There was one thing he was certain of—he had to heal and regain some strength. Then he would be able to battle not only for himself, but also for Elodie.

  I’ll rest here for a little bit...

  Perhaps, once he woke, he’d have more energy and would find Elodie. Without him by her side, she’d find trouble, and all she’d have for protection was Daire, a snarly tiger, and an irritating bird. She needed him.... Cale closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep with thoughts of Elodie dancing through his mind.

  2

  Dust Bowl

  Sunlight beat down in searing waves of unforgiving heat. Sweat dripped over Elodie’s forehead, and her clothing pasted itself against her skin. She pulled her tunic away from her drenched breasts, then groaned. It had done no good to even attempt to move her clothing. As soon as she’d let go it had snapped back in place.

  Malediction had decided to mess with them in a more brutal way. She hadn’t wanted unending rain, but the never-ending heat could take a leap off the nearest cliff and die. Nothing lay before them but the light-colored grains of dust the wind blew in their faces at regular intervals. Her skin itched from the mixture of sand and sweat ground into it. A bath would be most welcome, and not forthcoming in the least.

  For a brief moment, she contemplated trying to use her magic to unleash rain upon them. It would cool their overheated skin and wash away the grime. Unfortunately, she had little control over her new gift, and she wasn’t sure what she’d bring if she called for it. The risks were immense, and finding Cale too important for her to attempt it. If the heat continued to rise, she might give in and call forth a storm. But she’d rather not do that until she was left no choice. Lulu had yet to work with her and teach her the nuances of her water magic. Until then, she’d use it sparingly, if at all.

  Daire walked beside her, appearing as equally sluggish as she felt. How were they supposed to find Cale when they could barely lift one foot and put it in front of the other? Walking had become their greatest chore. Elodie would kill for some shade or the starkness of the cave they’d left behind a few days ago. At least it had provided shelter from the elements. If she’d not been so determined to rescue Cale, she might have given in and made that cave her new home. Everything had seemed so bloody hopeless.

  “Do you even know where we’re going?” Daire asked. “We’re running low on supplies, and there’s nothing but dirt as far as I can see.”

  Elodie shook her head. “Lulu said we had to go through this...” She didn’t know what it was. She’d never seen anything quite like it. It was so barren, and nothing living could be found. Instead of trying to define it, she continued, “Cale needs us. We can survive whatever this world throws at us. We will make our way across this desolate area.”

  “How?” Daire asked, bewildered. “That damn bird could have at least told us to plan better for it. We’ll be out of water soon, and we ran out of food hours ago. Without water, we’re going to die in this heat.”

  She didn’t quite know how they would do it, but she’d be damned if she voiced her doubts. If she went that far, she would give up herself. She would remain strong and continue to have faith. They had no other option as far as she was concerned. “I think water will be the least of our concerns.”

  “You can’t control it, Elle,” he said. “I want to believe...”

  “Then don’t say another word,” Elodie spat out. “We can’t very well turn back now anyway. We’re in the middle of this wasteland already, and it’s far too late to turnaround or have regrets.”

  Lulu could be leading them right into the hands of whatever wanted to destroy them, or she could be helping them survive. Perhaps it was a bit naïve, but Elodie wanted to hope it wasn’t all in vain. Lulu hadn’t steered them wrong yet. Mislead a little bit, perhaps, but for the most part, she kept them on the right path. Though, the bird could have explained what that dragon ring was to them all before Cale had slipped it on. She had been reluctant to retrieve it; however, she had whispered something to Cale, leaving the decision to him.

  The knight had taken that information and chose to ignore all of Elodie’s wishes. She should be so angry with him, truthfully though, she was terrified. Never had she fully believed she’d live without him. Even when he’d announced he’d be leaving her kingdom for another post. Cale wouldn’t abandon her, and so far hadn’t, at least not willingly.

  What if she was incapable of saving him and therefore herself? Would that make her doomed as the ruler of Zelnon? Doubts had a way of sneaking up on her and messing with her psyche. It had been that way for too long and left her emotions running ragged. She wasn’t meant to be meek and biddable, nor an angry termagant. Somehow, she had to find a way to even out those qualities into someone capable of making the hard decisions. Cale had believed in her, and for the moment, she’d hold on to that.

  So lost in her own thought, she’d forgotten Daire was beside her until he stopped suddenly. She halted along side of him and glanced over at him. “You’re right,” Daire told her. “We’re stuck on this path. The time for changing our mind passed a long time ago; however, we need to consider that we might not make it out of this world alive. This realm is harsh even as some of it is beautiful.”

  “It really is too bad some of that beauty wants to eat us,” Elodie said and then smiled. “Are you finished complaining?”

  He grinned. “Would you let me continue if I said I wasn’t?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” she said flippantly. “I couldn’t stop you if I wanted to.” She glanced over at him. He had a peculiar expression on his face as if he wasn’t sure if he should take her seriously. She winked at him and teased, “You can be rather whiny at times.”

  He blinked several times before replying dryly, “Sweetheart, men don’t whine—they encourage a different course of action.”

  She clicked her tongue at the top of her mouth, suppressing a grin and lifted a mocking brow.
“Can’t say I would know. There are no men around to compare you to.”

  Daire blustered and shook his head as if he couldn’t believe the words she’d uttered. Now that she’d gotten over her presumptions, she rather liked spending time with him. He was fun to tease and had a good attitude—most of the time.

  “You wound me.” He held his hand over his chest. “What is it going to take for you to see me as more than a wee lad who pushed girls he liked into mud puddles?”

  She jerked back surprised. “You pushed me in the mud because you liked me? I’d hate to see what you did to the ones you loathed.”

  “Trust me,” he said, then grimaced. “You really don’t.”

  Elodie couldn’t help it; she laughed, and it felt good. She’d been coiled into a tight ball of anxiety ever since she’d woken in the nightmare realm. This almost seemed normal in a world where everything was one extreme leading into the next. She could use a little bit of mundane after surviving this long in Malediction.

  “I was so wretched toward you,” she said softly. “I shouldn’t have been a right pain in your backside when we became reacquainted. You didn’t deserve my ire.” Elodie sighed. “I can’t take any of that back, but I can promise to try to be more congenial. My temper can be a tad spontaneous at times, so I’ll beg your forgiveness and patience in advance for those moments of insanity.”

  “Don’t be so hard on yourself,” he replied. “We all have lapses in judgment from time to time. You’re no different than the rest of the population in that regard. You don’t need absolution from me or any other person. Perhaps you should consider forgiving yourself and start anew that way.”

  Was it that simple? Could she move past all her anger issues and become a better person? Was the first step forgiving herself and recognizing she wasn’t infallible? She’s always believed she had to be better—do better—because she was destined to rule Zelnon. Her father had appeared to know what to do and how to act to everything in the right way. She’d admired him so much and had wanted to grow up to be exactly like him. Now, perhaps she should look at everything with more clarity and not through the eyes of an adoring daughter. Daire was right. Again. Everyone made mistakes, her father included.

  “What about you?” Elodie asked.

  “I don’t understand.” He scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion. “What about me?”

  “Do you have regrets? Things you would change if you could?” She paused and then added, “What makes the perfect Daire flawed?”

  The corner of his mouth tilted upward enticingly. He really was a beautiful male, and she couldn’t stop herself from appreciating his gorgeous features. “Honey, you said it yourself. I’m perfection itself.” He leaned down and whispered, “And if I had a flaw, do you think I’d admit to it?” Then he turned away from her, his smile faltering slightly. “As far as things I’d change—if I could go back, I’d save you from this hell before it began. If only we’d have realized what was happening before it was too late...”

  Wasn’t that the truth... “There was no way of determining anything. Surely you must know that.”

  “Are you so certain?” he asked thoughtfully. “The witch’s warnings were a clue, were they not?” Daire quoted the witch, ‘“Be careful. The wrong choice will trap you in an endless nightmare.”’

  Elodie had been too flippant when Paige had uttered those words. She’d been too wrapped up in Daire’s unexpected presence to take anything the witch had said seriously. If she’d heeded Paige’s advice, she might not have ended up in Malediction, but it was hard to determine either way. Perhaps this had always been meant to be her fate. A life lesson she’d sorely needed to be the ruler Zelnon desired.

  “Paige said a lot of things; not all of it is destined to come true,” Elodie told him.

  “She was right about the tiger, dragon, and relentless bird.”

  Elodie thought back to that day in Paige’s cottage. “A tiger, a dragon, and a relentless bird.” Paige said as she rocked harder in the chair. “Noble, loyal, and a pathfinder—one will betray you when you least expect it.”

  Elodie frowned. “Lulu and Kalypso were evident in that part from the beginning. There was no way to foretell that Cale would become the dragon part of the prophecy.” If only it had been. “I’m more concerned about the betrayal part—which one would shouldn’t we trust? It’s making it difficult for me to trust either one of them.” Cale would never betray her.

  “Noble, loyal, and a pathfinder,” Daire said more to himself than to her. “In some ways, Cale is all three of those.”

  Elodie didn’t like where this line of thinking was going. Cale was the only person she’d ever depended on. His loyalty to her should never be questioned. “He’s not a noble.” He was a knight, but not of noble blood. “And he hasn’t set me down a path of any kind.”

  “He, more than anyone, has helped you forge your way in the world. He trained you against his better judgment and he guided you toward being a warrior queen. What is that if not a path you hadn’t expected to find. As far as nobility—there is more to that than the bloodline you descend from. Cale is a good man and more noble than some of the royals I’m acquainted with.”

  Elodie couldn’t deny any of that. She wasn’t belittling Cale, but she didn’t want to admit Daire saw him clearer than she had. Instead of replying to his observation, she made one of her own. “Is the sky darker?”

  Daire glanced upward. “Aye, I think you’re right. Are you calling a storm?”

  “It’s not me...”

  As if on cue, the wind picked up speed and whipped dust around them. It swirled into a funnel and wound them up like a cocoon—it squeezed Elodie, stealing the air out of her lungs. She sneaked a glance at Daire. He had his hands at his throat, his mouth opened slightly as he gasped for breath. Lulu and Kalypso were ahead of them outside of the whirl of dust and wind. How had they escaped being sucked into the killer dust storm? Why was it only Daire and Elodie fighting to survive its dark clutches?

  Lulu halted in the sky and turned toward them. She darted through the air like an arrow slicing through the sky. Kalypso started to run, her muscles rippling under the strain of her effort. Elodie clawed at the air, trying to grab onto—anything, but there was nothing there to aid her. Her vision went dark for a moment and then something slammed into her, knocking her to the ground. Her head bounced against the hard surface, sending waves of pain through it. She brought her hand up to it and winced.

  “What the...” Elodie stared ahead at the horror she’d been pushed out of. The funnel twisted as the wind roared and formed into a destructive weapon.

  “The prince is still trapped,” Lulu shrilled. Kalypso crouched beside Elodie after knocking her from the funnel. Her white coat covered in a sheet of dust that nearly matched her stripes—making her a solid black. Elodie leaped to her feet and ran toward Daire. He was floating in the dust funnel as it carried him away from them. He didn’t appear to be breathing, and a knot of dread formed inside of her. First she’d lost Cale, and now she might lose Daire. No. She refused to let Malediction take someone else from her. Daire would not die. Elodie closed her eyes and reached inside herself for the magic that was infused in her blood. She wasn’t sure what water could do in this situation, but she also had some control of the wind. Maybe she could counteract the funnel and unravel it.

  She raised her hands, palms up. Her hair whipped around her, slapping her face like hot brands. Elodie ignored it and drove more power outward. Lightning flashed in the sky, crackling as it hit the ground. Thunder boomed and echoed through the wind. She strained under the pressure, but her effort paid off as tendrils of wind fed into the funnel and unwound it. The strain was ripping her apart, and she’d pass out soon from lack of energy. Elodie sank to her knees and leaned her head back shouting as she pulled harder on the wind. It snapped into place, and Daire hit the ground with a thud.

  She wanted to go to him and make sure he was all right; however, she was depleted and h
ad difficulty keeping her eyes open. Where was Lulu and Kalypso? She glanced upward and found Lulu flying toward her. Kalypso was in the distance, running to reach Daire. She would have to depend on the bird and the tiger to do what she could not. The world spun around her, and she swayed. She glanced at Lulu and ordered, “Save Daire.” Then she gave into the oblivion that called to her and crumpled to the ground.

  3

  The More You Know

  Elodie forced her eyes open even though she’d much prefer to curl up and give into the agony raking through her. Her mouth was gritty and dry. She tried to swallow but ended up gagging instead. There was only one cure for what ailed her—well, her parched throat anyway. She needed water and fast. Daire had said they were running low. Would it be too much to hope that Lulu or Kalypso had found some while she’d been unconscious?

  She sat up and scanned the area. They were still in the wasteland, but by some miracle Lulu and Kalypso had managed to locate some shade from the sun. Where were they? Lulu sat above her on the branch of the lone tree in the area. It was stark and looked rather dead, but she was grateful for the limited shade it offered.

  “Princess,” Lulu whistled from above. “You’re awake. Good.”

  Elodie opened her mouth to speak and couldn’t manage a word. She patted her throat and gestured that she needed something to drink. The bird nodded and flew off. Please let her have understood. She crawled over to the tree and leaned against it. Daire lay near it, still out cold. At least she hoped that was the case. If he was... No, she wouldn’t even think it. Daire was fine. She refused to believe anything less.

  Lulu flew back carrying something in her claws. It was a canteen, and she had it by the strap. “Kalypso went to find more for you to drink. You’ll both need it, especially the prince when he wakes. The tiger borrowed the prince’s water holder—he won’t mind.”