Page 31 of Bewitched

“So, what’s been happening?” asked Rhys, feeling the tension in the air. Each of the women stared out in a different direction rather than to look at each other. That told him something happened before he arrived.

“Oh, not much is going on,” said Zann, pulling his tunic over his head. “Just little things like Medea being attacked by gnomes, and me saving her neck, that’s all. I’m still waiting for a thank-you.”

“What?” Rhys looked up with a jerk. Just the thought of Medea possibly being hurt bothered him for some reason. He supposed it shouldn’t have, since just this morning he had been considering killing her. The thought of what he might have done bothered him even more, now that he laid eyes on her again. “Are you all right, Medea?” He hurried over to her, putting his hand on her shoulder.

“I’m fine,” she said, looking up at him and smiling. “I know where the dragon is hiding, Rhys.”

“Aye, in the caves. The elf already told us.”

“Yes, but there are many caves, and I know the exact one. Shall we go capture it now?”

“Not yet,” said Rhys, holding up his hand. “First, I think we need to go to the pyramids and find the crystal key.”

“Can’t we do that after we get the dragon?” asked Medea, sounding eager to prove to everyone that she was right.

“Nay. This way, you’ll have a means to open the portal when we do find the dragon,” Rhys explained. “You see, there is no telling how the dragon will react when we approach it. Medea, if you and your sister can manage to get atop it, then you’ll already have the key, and also your means to get home quickly.”

“I agree,” said Alaina. “We should go after the crystal key first.”

“Where are these pyramids?” asked Rapunzel.

“I’ll show you. Follow me. They are right over that hill.” Alaina started to walk and the rest followed. Rhys held the reins of his horse, catching up to Medea.

“I’m glad you weren’t hurt, Medea,” he told her, feeling like a traitor even though the girl had no idea of what he’d been ordered to do.

“I’m glad you’re here, Rhys,” she said, surprising him, since he didn’t think she even liked him.

“Y-you are?” he asked.

“Aye,” she said. “You’re not as boring as everyone else around here.”

“Uh, thank you. I think.” Rhys looked at the girl in confusion. He wasn’t quite sure what she meant. Darium told him Medea liked him. If she did, he wasn’t sure he was seeing it. He decided it must be her odd way of complimenting him.

Medea stopped, letting the others go ahead of them. He waited with her, feeling as if she wanted to speak with him in private.

“Rhys, I think I like it here on Mura,” she told him.

“Good,” he said with a nod of his head, wondering why this even mattered since she’d be leaving soon.

“It’s much more exciting and intriguing than back in England.”

“Uh huh,” he said, feeling as if she were leading up to something. He wasn’t sure where she was going with this conversation.

“I like to explore and discover new things.”

“That’s nice.” What did she want him to say?

“Therefore, I’ve decided I’m going to stay right here in Mura and not go back to England at all.”

“Wait. What?” That shocked him, as it was surely nothing he thought she’d say. It was also the last thing he wanted to hear right now. He planned on getting the women and the dragon out of Mura before the King sent his men to kill them. Having her hanging around was only going to be an invitation to getting herself killed.

“Does that make you happy?” she asked, sounding hopeful that it would.

He wasn’t sure how to answer. “Medea, how can you decide such a thing so quickly? You don’t even know anything about my land.”

“That’s right. And that is why I want to stay. To find out more.”

“Nay, you can’t do that. You need to go back through the portal as soon as possible.” He started worrying. If she stayed, King Osric would demand that he killed her, and he just couldn’t do it. The only way to ensure her safety was to make damned sure she went back through that portal and that she did it soon.