Page 40 of Kingdom of Spirits

Marius returned and Tahlia didn’t want to admit how relieved she was to see him. Was he really fine now?

“How was the creek?”

“I spotted a ruined fortress. We should explore it.”

“Why?” Fara asked. She closed her fist over her mouth. “I meant, what do you expect to find, High Captain?”

“I’m not certain, but I feel led to visit it, so if you refuse to leave, you might as well come as backup.” Marius gathered his things and they tied their bags to the dragons.

“How does it feel?” Tahlia asked, eyeing him. He seemed distracted and nothing about that put her at ease.

“The pull?”

“Yes.”

“Like extreme curiosity.”

The craving to go to him, to hold him, to feel the heat of his body against hers, hit Tahlia like a punch to the heart. She tooka shuddering breath and he looked up from checking Ragewing’s girth buckle.

“Or you can remain here?” he asked softly.

Fara had moved to the other side of Vodolija to apply some poultice where the saddle rubbed. She’d already done so on this side.

His scent wafted through the air. She fought the urge to go to him and the desire to let go of worrying about whatever was going on with him. She forced her feet to remain where they were.

“No, we are going with you.”

He nodded and climbed onto Ragewing’s back, his movements quick and easy. Fara came back around Vodolija and they mounted the Seabreak and readied to take off.

The dragons soared out of the fog and into the dull light of the morning sky.

Chapter 17

Marius

The tug on Marius’s soul felt like so much more than curiosity, but he hadn’t wanted to further alarm Tahlia and Fara. This sensation was not a tickle of interest but more like a dragon had sunk his talons into Marius’s very being and dragged him to the timeworn fortress below.

To calm his own fast pulse, Marius set a hand on Ragewing’s warm scales. Ragewing raised his head and grunted. He extended a wing and held off a blast of cool wind and mist, protecting Marius in a way that had him swallowing against a lump in his throat. He was so grateful for Ragewing, for Tahlia, and even for Fara and her dire warnings and inexperience. He didn’t think he deserved their loyalty, but he was incredibly glad for it.

They landed amid the fog that didn’t seem to be ready to lift anytime soon. Tahlia dismounted and helped Fara down.

Four stone towers stood in a rough square. The weather-eaten remains of what had once been wooden walls stretched to each one. A variety of circular stone buildings dotted the area. One appeared to be a dovecote, another a kitchen with the domed stove still intact, and a taller one in the back had possibly been a chapel. The wind whistled through a plow someone hadpulled into the old fortress and a bronze chain clanked against one of the towers. A thousand mysteries could be hiding in these ruins. Trunks of gold and jewels might be just beneath their feet.

“Ooooh, spooky. I like it.”

Fara threw up her hands. “Of course you think this haunted nightmare is great. You probably want to settle in and roast marshmallows.” Her wide stare slid over the wind-blown weeds growing by a forgotten well.

It was a wishing well, complete with a wooden arch decorated with constellations. Tahlia wandered over.

Marius’s view of the females blurred like his vision had been marred by drink, so he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to clear the fuzziness away. He opened his eyes again and blinked. His vision was better, but not yet normal.

“Marius?” Tahlia came closer, but thankfully, not too close.

He held out a hand. “Just give me a minute.”

But instead of taking a breath and gathering himself, his feet moved of their own accord. He stalked toward the well.

“Marius?” Tahlia shouted and ran up beside him.