Excerpt from the Rise and Fall of Keidon (Adult Content)
Chapter 5
Cassandra remained quiet for the remainder of
the journey. The encounter with the black
beasts scared her enough to see the dangers of this
trip.
“Are you all right, Princess?” Blake asked,
concerned.
“Is there anything I can do to cheer you up?”
Tor added.
The princess shook her head. “I told you, I’m
fine. I never realized how dangerous this was
going to be. For some reason, I thought it would
be easier.”
Blake laughed. “Nothing is easy, my love,
especially when it involves a quest such as this.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice
breaking with emotion.
“For what?” the men asked.
“If it weren’t for you guys, I’d be dead. I want
to thank you for risking your own lives for me.”
Blake and Tor both had tears in their eyes when
she said this.
“We would do anything for you, Princess,” Tor
replied, grabbing her hand. They rode their horses
side by side. “How does your arm feel?”
“It’s healing just fine thanks to the medicine
you applied.”
“Let’s say once we cross the lake we have a
special night.”
Cassandra’s eyes lit up. “What do you have in
mind?”
“I was thinking of swimming in the lake and
dinner by a fire.”
“I would really like that.”
The three of them continued to move through
the woods. After a few hours of travel, they
dismounted their horses for a light snack. The
forest of trees thinned up ahead and allowed them
a full view of the lake.
“There it is!” Cassandra exclaimed.
The warriors gazed out on the horizon. The
sound of dragon’s wings circling the area
whispered over the treetops.
“They are waiting for us,” Tor said, settling
himself on the ground. “When we emerge, they
will pounce.”
Cassandra sat down next to him. “I have a bad
feeling about this trip. Somehow I think we’ll fail.”
“Fail? How can you even suggest that?” Tor
pulled away from her.
“I’m sorry, but the enemy is very powerful.”
“And what are we?” Blake asked, grabbing
food from his satchel.
“You don’t have faith in us, or in yourself,” Tor
griped. “Don’t forget the Ruby Idol wants to be in
its final resting place.”
Cassandra glanced at her horse and noticed the
idol glowed through her bag. “I’m sorry,” she
said. “The Delmirths are dangerous creatures and
have a strong leader to guide them.”
Tor shook his head in disgust. “And we have
the strongest warriors in the world. For your
information, two of them are sitting beside you!”
“We didn’t have to come along and protect you,
Princess,” Blake stated. “We could have left you to
do it alone. Tor and I risk our lives for you all the
time and this is the thanks we get!” Blake handed
Tor some bread and cheese. He passed the
remaining food to Cassandra. The warriors
seemed to be at odds with her. They began to
converse among themselves and deliberately left
her out of the conversation.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “Please forgive me.
I lost my faith for a moment.”
The men laughed about a funny situation they
had encountered on their travels.
Cassandra placed the food on the ground and
stood. She grabbed the reins of her horse,
contemplating whether to leave them. The tears
welled up in her eyes. “Won’t you forgive me?”
she asked again. When she turned around the two
men had stopped talking to look at her.
“What are you doing?” Blake asked.
“If you refuse to forgive me, I’ll leave without
you.”
Tor and Blake laughed. “You can’t survive
without us, Princess,” Tor replied. “You may have
combat training, but you’re no match for the
Delmirths.”
Cassandra pulled out her heavy dagger and
studied it in the light. “I think I’ll manage fine on
my own.” She placed the dagger back into its
sheath, about to mount her palfrey, when Tor
grabbed her arm.
“Don’t go, my lady.” Tor held her close in his
arms for a moment, then broke the contact.
Cassandra busied herself with the preparation
of her horse while the men packed up their
provisions in silence. The sound of dragon’s wings
and curses could be heard up above. “They’re
waiting for us,” she whispered.
Darkness had set in and created an eerie
atmosphere. Blake helped Cassandra onto her
horse and listened for the enemy. “Remember,
they have poor night vision.”
“Thank goodness,” Tor replied.
They all sat on their horses with swords and
daggers at the ready. On Blake’s command, the
three took off through the forest to fight the
Delmirths. The moment they emerged from the
forest, the dragons were on them. The riders
flailed their swords. Tor and Blake took the brunt
of the battle and protected Cassandra from their
wrath.
“Go, Princess, to the boat!” Tor screamed.
Cassandra jumped when a dragon nicked her
arm and turned in midair to take another swipe.
Blake and Tor fought numerous Delmirths. She
wanted to assist them in battle, but they yelled at
her.
“Leave, Princess!” Tor cried.
Blake had decapitated another Delmirth. Its
head rolled to her feet.
“But—”
“We’ll find you on the other side, we promise!”
Cassandra noticed more dragons and riders
come in for a landing. The enemy jumped down
from their dragons and battled the warriors on
land. Several ran toward her.
“Go!” the men shouted.
The princess obeyed this time. Her horse
galloped at a good clip until she reached the dock
and climbed down from her steed. A wooden boat
tied to the dock garnered her attention. Cassandra
untied the rope and pushed the boat into the
heavy current. Climbing into the vessel, she
grabbed the paddles and maneuvered the boat
into the darkness. The shouts of the Delmirths
drew closer. They laughed and shouted something
she didn’t understand.
She paddled hard and managed to get far
enough away, certain they could never catch her
except by air. Cassandra rowed with all her might
and watched the angry Delmirths gather on the
beach. They shouted obscenities at her. A dart
sailed in her direction and pierced her upper arm.
Her cry of pain filled the air as she tried to pull the
wretched thing from her skin. The sharp edge was
deep and the blood made it slick. Cassandra
gripped it tight and yanked it free. After a few
good tugs, the dart let go, except for the end of the
tip that was still trapped inside her arm. Blood
oozed from the wound, its flow impeded only by
the embedded tip.
It wasn’t until the moon shone through the
clouds that she got a good look at the poisonous
dart. Cassandra had used these darts to defeat
many of her enemies. She knew in order to
survive she needed medicine soon. There wasn’t
much time—four hours at the most. With a deep
breath, she forced herself to remain calm. If she
panicked, the poison would work its way through
her body that much sooner.
Through the shadows, Cassandra saw the
apparent new leader shout orders to his army. She
had visions of them pursuing her through the sky
and braced herself for what was yet to come.
Picking up the paddles, she remained strong
and concentrated on her mission—to find land as
soon as possible. As the hour wore on, she felt
herself weaken. Her arms wouldn’t cooperate. The
strength left her body. She touched her sweaty
forehead and closed her eyes to the consuming
dizziness. The dark waves that lapped against the
boat had made her seasick. Cassandra leaned over
the side of the craft and retched. The world spun
around faster and faster. She tried to pick up the
oars, determined to find land. The oars fell from
her hands. She leaned back in her seat and held
her head, moaning. The boat rocked unsteadily in
the wind. Clouds obscured the moon and
Cassandra found herself in total darkness.
A strong gust of wind blew across the lake.
Cassandra screamed in terror as the boat rocked
dangerously back and forth. She held on tight to
the edges as the waves increased with force. From
out of the darkness, the sound of dragon’s wings
soared above her.
Thankful the dragon’s sight was as poor as the
Delmirth’s, she swallowed another bout of vile.
The wind and waves grew stronger. Fearful of
losing it, Cassandra placed her knapsack around
her shoulders.
The dragons fought against the wind in their
attempt to fly across the water, only to be pulled
back by the forces of nature. Flashes of lightning
appeared in the distance, accompanied by rolling
thunder. Tiny droplets of rain fell. Within minutes,
the storm intensified and the rain became a
torrential downpour. The waves pitched the boat
precariously.
A large wave came out of nowhere and headed
straight for the boat. It hit head on. The wooden
craft flipped over. Cassandra struggled to the
surface and gripped what she soon realized was
the boat seat.
She felt along the length of the wooden boat,
made her way to the edge and dipped under only
long enough to surface. She held onto the
overturned boat with all of her strength. Her arms
tired and her head spun as the storm pounded all
around her. The dingy hit a rock and splintered.
With the last remnant of her sanctuary
disappearing below the surface, she gave up.
Chapter 6
Visions of a battered boat and a woman’s cries
for help, jerked him awake and to the front
door of his cabin. Stormy weather ignored, Keidon
headed barefoot to the water lapping angrily at
the shore. The instant the cold waves slapped his
skin, his entire body numbed, but he kept his eyes
on the horizon.
Waves swept over his head and he gasped for
breath.
If I don’t find this woman soon… Strongcurrents threatened to drag him down, but he
pushed onward, fighting the pounding waves,
high winds and pelting rain. Something moved in
the dark. A small boat. Keidon swam toward it,
determined to rescue the woman. As he neared
the object, a huge wave rose above him and pulled
him underwater.
Murky depths closed over his head and the tow
of the waves pushed him even lower. Keidon
didn’t want to die this way and forced his body to
surface. When he emerged, the partial remains of a
boat floated past him.
A cry for help sounded in the distance. Keidon
followed the voice. Flashes of lightning
silhouetted a woman clinging to a rock. Her
fingers slipped from the surface. Desperate, he
swept an arm around her waist and dragged her
against his body.
Nervous, Keidon prayed she wouldn’t die in
his arms. Her eyes were closed and she rest limp
against him. The dead weight slowed his, but he
kept himself afloat, riding the strong current to
shore. He kicked and paddled with his one arm.
When his feet felt earth, he staggered to the beach
and collapsed onto the sand, the woman beside
him.
Keidon ripped open her robe and placed his ear
to her chest. Lack of breath and heartbeat settled
fear’s spidery fingers around him. Knowledgeable
of first aid, he tilted her head back, pinched her
nose and started mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Keidon worked quickly, placed his lips firmly
against hers and blew into her mouth, then
proceeded with chest compressions. The woman
coughed and sputtered.
He rolled her onto her side, allowing her to
clear water from her lungs. When the woman
breathed several normal breaths, he scooped her
into his arms and carried her to his cabin. Once
inside, he laid her gently on the bed and kindled a
fire. The blaze warmed the room as he scrutinized
the fragile beauty lying peacefully on his bed
covers. The garment she wore unsettled him.
Keidon had seen similar robes many times in his
travels.
Why the hell is this beautiful woman wearing adisgusting Delmirth robe?
A dagger’s handle gleamed from the scabbard
at her waist and cast an array of colors around the
room. He unsheathed the weapon and held it up
to the light. The jeweled dagger glimmered.
Wheredid this woman obtain a legendary blade?
Keidon hadseen a few of these in his travels, but only in the
hands of royalty.
Is she royalty, or did she steal it?Maybe she is on the run from authorities and that’s
how she got shipwrecked?
With plenty of questions to ask, he held the
mighty dagger in his hand and enjoyed the feel of
its weight. This weapon was worth a fortune.
Keidon sliced the blade through the air and
listened to the threatening sound it made, positive
this dagger killed a few enemies in its time. After
testing the blade with his skilled moves, he set it
on the desk.
Back at the woman’s side, he wrinkled his nose
at the putrid smell that wafted in the air.
Apparently, she had been on quite the adventure.
Aside from the blood, there was large rips in the
material and several stains—one of a wild animal,
the other semen. Keidon hoped the last smell
wasn’t correct. As he placed his nose to the robe,
he knew his senses didn’t deceive.
Maybe she has alover or is married? Could it be Delmirth cum?
Hetossed the nasty image from his mind.
Keidon studied her carefully and tried to piece
together the evidence. This lovely woman lying on
his bed couldn’t possibly be an enemy. The
Delmirths were ugly, smelly looking creatures,
with gray skin and big green eyes. She definitely
wasn’t a Delmirth.
In the dim light of the fire, an attraction for her
flared. Keidon went to the kitchen, filled a
washbasin with warm water, then grabbed
bandages and antiseptic. He approached the bed
and tended her head wound. A deep gash
blemished her temple. Gentle, he cleaned and
dressed the wound, then started to undress her.
He lowered the wet robe below her breasts and
gasped in shock. Her right arm had an ugly
infection from where a dart had hit, the tip still
trapped inside. Keidon had seen these kinds of
wounds before. The poison, if left too long, could
kill in a matter of hours.
Briskly, he rose from the bed and crossed to his
dresser. Keidon fumbled through the medical bag
he carried with him on all his adventures. He
pulled out a pair of small-nosed pliers, a needle, a
bottle of antiseptic and a medicine bottle with
serum to control the spread of the poison. Keidon
carefully inserted the pliers into the wound in
search of the tip.
Confident in his own skills, he patiently
worked. Moments later, the pliers bumped metal.
Slowly, he pulled the tip out and dropped it into a
basin, set aside the small tool, filled the syringe
with medicine and stuck the thin needle into her
upper arm. Gently, he rubbed the infected area
with a sponge, then bandaged the wound.
Keidon finished undressing the woman. With
the wet robe pulled from her body, he held the
disgusting material at arm’s length. Not wanting a
Delmirth robe in his house, he went to the front
door and threw it onto the trash heap to be burned
later. As he entered the house, lust ignited in his
blood. Unable to help himself, his gaze roamed
over her irresistible body, from her large firm
breasts to below the waist. He wanted her bad.
Hesitant, he approached the bed for a closer
look. If he were a real scoundrel, he’d take her
while she was unconscious, but loyalty and honor
forbade such. Even though the thought was
almost irresistible, he knew he’d never be able to
go through with it. His gaze explored her
tantalizing curves right down to the mound at the
juncture of her thighs. Aroused, Keidon knew he
couldn’t do anything about his animal urges and
draped a soft, warm buffalo hide blanket across
her body.
With temptation covered, he paced the room.
Who is she?
Keidon rubbed his chin thoughtfully,then remembered something dropped from her
shoulders when he dragged her ashore. He rushed
out into the dark night to the spot where he had
resuscitated her. Searching the shoreline, he
spotted a bulge in the sand. Keidon grabbed the
bag and hurried back to his cabin.
He set the knapsack onto the kitchen table,
opened the main pouch and stuck his hand inside.
His fingers latched onto something silky. Pulling it
out, he held it up and gasped at the beautiful red
dress with its low bodice and long flowing skirt.
Carefully, he placed the dress over a chair and
reached back into the bag. This time his hands
grasped something solid. He pulled out the heavy
object and his mouth dropped at the sight. The red
idol glowed in the shadows.
He heard about this idol and recognized it as
the Ruby Idol—the giver of peace and prosperity.
What in hell’s name is she doing with it?
Keidonpeered at the idol and shuddered. The woman
staring back at him resembled the one lying on his
bed. A strong desire to shake the beautiful woman
until she awakened flitted across his mind, but
opted to wait until she regained consciousness of
her own accord. He studied the fine markings on
the idol one last time, then grudgingly placed it
back into her bag.
Who is this woman and why didshe carry with her a valuable dagger and that idol?
Certain he hadn’t missed anything, he was
about to close the pouch when he spotted a
hidden side pocket. Ever wary, he grabbed onto
something rather soft and worn. Carefully he
pulled out the folded paper. The wet object was
fragile. As he spread it on the table, his eyes
widened at his findings.
The map to the SunkenIslands.
His gaze traveled across the map and followed
the red dots that led to where the Ruby Idol was
said to be.
This can’t be the Ruby Idol stashed in herbag? The Ruby Idol is unattainable. The land is sacred.
Keidon had heard about many men who tried to
claim the idol out of greed and never made it back
alive. The Sunken Islands were in the middle of a
desert with nothing around for miles.
Keidon pieced together the puzzle. Black X’s on
the map caught his attention. They were warning
signs, possible booby traps. Familiar with maps
like this one and with the markings, he stared long
and hard. Tired, he grudgingly folded the map
and placed it back where he found it.
Standing by the fire, he undid his trousers.
Naked in the fire’s glow, the heat penetrated his
chilled skin. Warmth made him drowsy. Keidon
grabbed another blanket from a nearby shelf and
set up a makeshift bed on the floor. Before
climbing under the covers, he leaned over the
radiant beauty with the flaming red hair and felt
her forehead. The serum was working. Her
breathing appeared normal and color had
returned to her face.
Keidon was curious about the color of her eyes.
Hadn’t he been looking for a woman to fulfill his
days with companionship and his nights with
love?
This could be her, he thought, stroking herforehead.
He settled beneath the makeshift bed covers.
“Goodnight, my fair lady,” he whispered.
Keidon rolled over onto his side so his body
faced hers. He stared up at her still form. He knew
that tonight he’d have sweet dreams of the woman
lying unknowingly in his bed.