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“I told you.” Camille smiled. “I did return.”
“O-okay, but. . .this dream.”
“Yes?”
“When did you have the time to dream about this?”
“The dream came in the sewer.”
“When were you going to tell us?”
“They told me not to.”
“Camille.” I sneered and gazed back at the soldiers. “You know that I can kill them fast.”
“But, you won’t because you know that we need them for the war against the Quiet King.” She walked away naked with that now flaming hair that streamed and wavered around her. “And I’ll return to you and Xander with mages ready for war and the taste of the Quiet King’s flesh on their tongues.”
Chapter 17
An Introduction
Camille
With each step toward the line of mage, my nerves flared on edge and threatened to send me flying into pieces. I feared I would disintegrate into nothing, like the bits of myself flittering away with each gust of wind.
Goosebumps sprouted all over my bare skin.
I’d gone naked so they could see all the marks and understand that when I approached them, I held no secret weapons on me.
The cool grass rose to my knees and smoothed against my skin with every step.
Warm dirt pressed against the soles of my feet. Out here the fragrance of nature rose in the air—herbal perfumes from wild red tulips, the unsullied scent of untraveled soil, and the peculiar aroma of supernatural power that the hundreds of mage exuded as they gathered ahead.
Oh my.
Their magic smelled like fresh mint and the birth of a fire. The more I came near, the more their magic lingered my way and lulled me forward.
“Please Ambi and Ressi. Use me to do the right thing.” I struggled to not form my hands into tight fists. I didn’t want them to see that and think I’d come to battle. Not that one naked woman was anything to fear.
The gods’ words floated in my head.
Tell them what you saw. Show them the symbols. Peace will come if you help them believe.
Strength and confidence flowed through my veins, yet I still shivered as the mile between the mage and myself transformed to several feet.
Suddenly, my flesh brightened, illuminating the markings on my skin even more.
I kept my head straight and forward as if I were looking right at them, when really I stared off in the distance, too afraid to meet any of their eyes.
I knew they spotted my hair.
How could they not?
My hair danced around me in the wind like flames swaying in a trance. I had no idea why, besides the fact that Ambi told me when I returned, all would recognize the truth of my journey through death and back to life.
Clucking ensued in front of me.
The mages are laughing?
I almost paused.
Well. . .that is better than them attacking.
Instead, I pushed on as the short people holding sticks and rocks clucked their tongues against their teeth and beat their sticks against rocks.
A shiver ran through me.
Keep walking.
The fireballs that hovered over the taller people’s heads decreased from huge as the size of boulders to small like apples.
They’d tied cloth made from wolf hair around their bodies to hide their genitals.
Unlike the short people, who represented men and women, the tall people were only big men. I should have been calmed by them lowering their fire.
I wasn’t.
My heart boomed against my chest harder than ever before.
A light voice rushed out from the front of their line. “Stay where you are!”
I stopped and held my hands behind my back. Finally, I directed my gaze on all of them in front of me.
The short people wore dark green beaded wraps around their waists and chests. Red mud painted half of their brown skin.
The tall men were dressed in wolf hair.
Off in the distance, a rich forest loomed. Lush green leaves coated the branches. Bulbs of huge fruit dangled.
White glimmering birds flew above, chirping and hooting. They sparkled and glittered with light. I wondered if the bird possessed some sort of magical firepower, too.
Forget the birds. Focus on the task ahead.
“Hello!” I held my hands behind me. “My name is Camille. I would like to talk to your leaders.”
“Are you sure about that, blood mage?” A woman stepped forward. Her eyes glowed bright brown. Her long, curly hair was thick, cobalt blue, and fell down to her slim waist.
Instead of simply a beaded wrap, she wore a full beaded blue gown that dragged along the ground behind her. Crystal earrings framed her beautiful face.
She was enchanting, yet something inside me yelled danger.
I listened and kept my mouth closed.
She sashayed my way with a smile and stopped four feet in front of me. “A-Rrock Non!”
The short people in green lowered on their knees and dropped their weapons to the side in unison.
“A-Rrock Non!” They yelled back.
Doe she lead everyone? Is she a queen?
I remained quiet and forced myself to maintain eye contact.
