FOREVER KNIGHTS: #17 Marked As Mine

He could hear Zuriena’s heart palpitating in her chest like a hammer. Smell the sweat marking her skin intermingling with scent of panic hormones.

She’s terrified. Something is very wrong!

The horse pushed through clumsily and roared out across the meadow. Mardichi’s eyes sharpened on the mare.

Not fast enough.

He took off on foot jogging out after her and crossing the meadow. Hearing the mare’s hooves thudding in the distance, as it was long from sight. He jogged until he was sure he was well from view from the castle. Then he let the animal inside him emerge. Contorting his back. Molding his hands and feet to a different shape. Feeling coarse hair climbing down his back.

Zuriena was crouched over the brown mare’s back. Heeling it as she rode bareback. Hanging onto its mane as though it were her only lifeline. When the huge copper blood red stallion ran up aside her he slid light blue eyes to look at her.

The tiny mane whickered fearfully shying from the much larger animal. He huffed in agitation. Shaking his mane as he tilted his head to meet Zuriena’s look. After exchanging a long glance he broke into a full blown run and left them far behind as he ran ahead, weaving through trees which thickened into a forest.

When Zuriena’s mare broke through the thick trees blocking the path they found the huge red stallion blocking the narrow path. He tossed his head and sidestepped.

“Fine, Acel!” She slid from the mare and he dropped to his front knees so she could use his upper leg and climb onto his wide back. Shifting close to his huge neck to clutch a fistful of the long coarse mane. She fisted it tight and didn’t have to give him heel. As soon as he saw she was seated. He ran. He was fast.

And I know the way.

After several hours of the breakneck pace she rested against his neck. Her arms hugging its thickness and tears dampening the fur near his spine.

He tried to enter her mind but could only hear pained shrieking and her repeating ‘no’ over and over again.

What? What is it? He feared. He couldn’t imagine. Her terror was so raw.

Taryn? She’d never spoken of her? Did she love her so much?

Mardichi feared what they were going to find. Brotus killed her. I’m sure of it. He straightened his neck and ran harder.

Ran for his wife.

As they rounded the bend outside Battling, the hut came into view. And despite how damp it had seemed when Mardichi had visited this place it was now lit with fires billowing from nearly every corner.

He guessed that only the fact that it had been so wet kept it from being burnt to ash now as it appeared the fires had been going off and on for most of the day.

Mardichi heard a strange high sound over the crackle of fires, wood, and mud. Realizing that the strange sound was Zuriena shrieking as they drew close. He didn’t even have time to stop before she was rolling from his shoulders. Falling brutally and rolling from her back to her feet to run.

Just outside the door was the body of Taryn slumped over the stoop. Her back bloodied as she’d obviously tried to barricade the door.

He knelt to put a hand to her cheek, noting there was no glimmer of life in her. “She’s dead.”

Her skin was clammy. Unnaturally wet.

Mardichi instantly recalled how wet the hut had been. Magic hides from Radix behind water…He knew this fact well.

His head spun to Zuriena whose hand was fluttering over her mouth hysterically.

She was hiding something from Radix?

“Liasa! Liasa!” She shrieked. Clutching her skirts and tearing them from her path to run headlong toward the hut.

Mardichi barely had time to cut her off. Putting his huge sweating body between her and the fiery hut. As fast as he could change, he reduced back to a man. Barely remembering to will clothes around him.

“Wait, Zuriena! You’re going to get hurt. Whoever is in there isn’t alive.”

Zuriena turned her head, eyes bulging from her face as she jerked her head to the side so violently it was somewhere between threatening and certain he was wrong.

She fled around him to the shutters. The doorway was filled with orange fire. She swatted the wood remnants from the square hole. Heedless of the jagged cut she tore into her hand. She moved as though she’d climb in despite the rush of billowing smoke now pouring out. Mardichi caught her firmly around the waist to hold her back even as she clutched the window hole, flames licking her hands.

Zuriena shrieked again. “Liasa!”

An unbelievably shrill whinny shredded the air in response.

“Liasa!”

As the smoke cleared momentarily, the inside became visible. Mardichi was shocked into stillness. A tiny red foal was inside. Kicking back a swarm of Nonis. Tiny wounds marred its spindly legs. It’s eyes were vivid red, reflecting the flames around it. And everything its feet touched lit on fire. Every Noni kicked burst into flame. Sizzling and popping. The terrified baby horse reared and kicked in terror.

But even as they watched it was weakening, having kept up this endeavor much of the day. It’s got little time left.

The countless Nonis hovered around the tiny horse. Long tails flicking in excitement.

Radix so badly wants this little animal dead he’s bent on the Nonis burning with it.

The foal won’t burn. Mardichi knew without a doubt.

He ripped Zuriena’s grip loose. And spun away from the hut to set her back. “Stay!” He ordered. Fury written over his face. “Ye should’ve told me!”

Zuriena’s mouth quivered but she was obviously speechless.

He shook his head, teeth gritted in rage but was not wasting a moment. He leapt in the window, undeterred by the heat. He strode through the fire which leaned from his path. Fizzling itself out as he neared.

He reached the small horse. When he crouched inside the circle of orange and red fire with the foal, the Nonis shrieked and reared back. Cowering from him.