Page 90 of The Last Warrior

Crash!

Lightning struck suddenly, frighteningly and so loudly that Suzette jumped farther into Black Lion’s arms. Involuntarily, she screamed.

“Shhh,” he soothed.

“Black Lion, what is this?” she whispered, and trembled at the same time. “This is the dead of winter. How can there be a lightning storm?”

“This is no storm,” he replied with certainty. Then, through gritted teeth, he added, “It is my enemy.”

“The Thunderer?”

“The same.”

“But…” How could she explain to him that even though she had dreamed of the Thunder Being, even though she and Black Lion had talked through her uncertainty, she still did not completely believe his story of vengeful gods and ancient curses?

But what if she were wrong? What if the Thunderer did exist?

“Do you think he has come for me? Is it because I have failed to do as he demanded?” She threw her arms around Black Lion’s neck and hugged him with all her might.

“Do not worry,” he soothed, though there was anger in his voice. “If the Thunderer had it in his mind to come for you, you would not now be telling me of it. Now, shh, quiet.” He placed his finger over her lips.

Suzette obeyed, though she little understood why. If the Thunderer were a god, and if he knew they were here, why mask their presence?

Another strike of lightning, as close to them as the last had been, wiped out further thought and had her cowering into Black Lion’s embrace. He petted her hair in response, as though to ease her fears. Then he whispered in her ear, “I will go and meet this enemy of mine.”

“No!” She practically spit out the word.

“I must. You know I must.”

“But it may not be the Thunderer. It may simply be an act of nature.”

He did little more than smile at her.

“If you go,” she said, “then I will come with you.”

“You will not come with me. You will stay here.”

“But if he is real, and if he is here because of me…”

Black Lion replied to her, saying, “He is here because I am here, not because of you or anything you have done.”

“But I…I…”

“You know this is true,” said Black Lion. “You must stay here. I will meet him, but do not fear for me too much. If he meant to kill me, he would have done so already. I think his intention is only to taunt me.”

Suzette backed up from within Black Lion’s arms, putting a few inches between them.

“Please stay here…stay hidden…”

“I cannot.”

“Then stay alive. Stay alive. That’s all I ask.” Another crash sounded around them, this one leaving a crackling noise behind it, as though it had lit a fire. And though Suzette would have gladly crawled back into Black Lion’s arms, she knew she couldn’t.

For a moment, they stared at one another. Then Black Lion set her away from him, took her head into his hands, and while pressing his forehead against hers, he said, “No matter what happens. Stay here. Hide. Do not follow me. Do you promise?”

“Must I?”

“You must. If I am to confront my enemy and keep my wits about me, I cannot worry about you.”