FOREVER KNIGHTS: #13 Salvaging Souls

Meredith House, Dread Hideout

ACHARIUS

Acharius returned to Merwood and found his caves relatively undisturbed. But instead of the barbarian he found Rhyers guarding them.

Why Rhyers?

Where’s Mardichi? Acharius paused in the wide cave entrance upon seeing the tracker sitting quietly in the wooden chair at the small square table. Thoughtfully going over parchments.

Those particular ones are the documented history we have on Raese’s last known movements. There’s nothing revealing in there. I’ve read them a million times. Acharius entered and began crossing the room.

“Doing a bit of reading?”

“Some.” Rhyers lowered it to look up at the massive Viking. “How was your jaunt?”

To the Isle to hunt Lady Meralee Carter.

“As good as could be. I’d no desire to go to begin with.”

I didn’t want the woman. I missed Chastain.

“Well, now that you’ve returned, I’ll soon be on my way myself.” Rhyers stood and adjusted his green tunic and black breeches. Smoothing them back into place.

Barefoot as usual.

“Better luck to you.” Acharius wished him.

“I dearly hope not. I’ve no more want to win then you possessed.”

Why not? You don’t have a woman.

Or do you?

“She is a pretty woman.” Acharius soothed.

Rhyers groaned in dread. “I’ve found those to be particularly difficult ones.”

That much is fact!

“Oh,” Acharius whooshed some air. “amongst those, she tops them all.”

Rhyers cocked his head. “In difficulty?”

The term doesn’t begin to describe her.

“She’s positively feral.”

“Well Lucien ought to find that intriguing.”

He usually does.

“He seems to.” Acharius shrugged as he strode to sit on the edge of his bed and pull of his boots for some much-needed rest.

“Then what is the purpose in us going?” Rhyers frowned.

A fair question. Acharius reflected his friend’s expression.

“I theorize we’re merely to supply some healthy competition to inspire Lucien to want what Deragan already intends for him to have.”

A great waste of time for all but Deragan and Lucien, I hazard.

“That does sound like our alpha.”

“Most assuredly.”

“Well off I go.” Rhyers left the caves and made his way through the Merwood. Ensuring he left no track as he went. Exiting Dread Hideout entirely he crossed the Netherlands and into Grier. Pausing to go hunt and eat near the waterfall at the border into Mane Country.

Karina had been studying calming herself in order to control the furious biting of the serpents.

Now she walked Merwood. Accustomed to them slithering about her feet and lovingly coiling her ankles when she stopped. Feeling their tension whenever Acharius was near. Making her sick to her stomach and her eyes burn and body ache from the tensing. Her mouth would water. She was feeling what the creatures on the ground felt at his nearness.

He sickened them.

Despite her longing to always be close to him, she now found getting anywhere near him physically repugnant with her new pets. Knowing whenever he was close allowed her to evade him. A part of her mortified she could no longer disguise the dark power permeating her. Power Radix had given her. Power Acharius would be disgusted by. Recognizing immediately as evil.

But her lust for the Viking, yearning to feel his pinning weight and the sweat on his skin from a passionate loving, and hear his deep pants as he exalted in the feel of her as Radix did, still consumed her thoughts. She shuddered slightly at the thought of the demon. Though she hungered for the power, some deep instinct quaked in revulsion every time he took her. Though the pain was brief his cruelty overall was endless. As if she were less than an animal.

She thought if she could learn to control the reptiles and hide what she was, she’d be powerful enough to overcome Acharius’ desire for the other woman. Chastain.

That thought settled her sick stomach from memories of things Radix had done to her. But her impatience had grown in the last few weeks.

He’d have no choice but to turn his eye on her if the other women was gone.