Page 98 of Shadow Queen
Norah wiped the tears from her cheeks as Naavi disappeared into the darkness of the wood. She turned back to Mikael, and kneeling in front of him, she pulled his face to hers and kissed his eyelids softly. They fluttered underneath her lips, and she trailed her kisses to his cheeks.
“Wake, husband,” she whispered.
His hands came up to her arms, and he pushed her back slightly as he opened his eyes to look at her. Confusion flashed across his face in the moonlight, but his emotional pain was gone. Suddenly, he reached up and felt his shoulder. “What happened?” he asked, looking around.
“I thought I lost you,” she whispered.
“I’m here,” he said softly.
She smiled and kissed him again. But then the urgency returned. She wanted to get away before Sana found them missing. “We have to go. We have to leave now. Will you help me wake him?” she asked, looking at Soren.
His eyes found Soren, who was kneeling and slumped in an unnatural sleep. Mikael stood, shaky at first, but found his footing. He looked at her for a moment, then back to the commander, still trying to make sense of what had happened. She knew he still had the memory of being shot, but now wasn’t the time to catch him up on the rest.
“We have to hurry,” Norah pressed.
Mikael walked to the commander and put a hand on his shoulder. “Soren,” he called.
The lord commander twitched, but he didn’t wake.
Norah felt a deep unease in her stomach. “Careful,” she warned.
“Soren,” Mikael called again, leaning closer.
Suddenly, Soren’s hand flew up, grabbing Mikael and pulling him to the ground. He clutched Mikael by the base of his throat, a fury pouring out of him.
“No, stop!” Norah cried.
Her voice made him pause, and he glanced around in confusion.
“Brother,” Mikael grunted, and Soren released him, stumbling back from his attack as he recognized his victim. He gripped his head, and Norah suspected some lingering effects. “What happened?” he growled.
“Now’s not the time,” she said quickly. “We have to go.”
“Where’s the Bear?” Soren demanded. “And my axe? And my sword?”
“And my armor,” Mikael added.
“The justice has ridden ahead. We’ll meet up with him soon,” she explained. She looked at Soren. “Your axe is by your horse. Forget about everything else. We have to go.” Norah reached out and took Mikael’s hand. “Please,” she said softly. “Trust me.” She could see his uncertainty.
Mikael let out a troubled breath, yielding. Then he mounted his horse as Norah climbed onto Caspian’s, and they rode into the night.
They journeyed south with a thick silence between them. Mikael glanced at her as they rode, no doubt with questions heavy on his tongue. But he asked none, and she didn’t know where to start, or what to even begin to share.
They caught up with Caspian and Alexander, who had set a small camp. Alexander lay against a rock by the fire, still weak. Caspian cooked a small rabbit over the flame.
“Put out that fire,” Soren said angrily. “You tell the world we’re here.”
“We need warmth, and food,” Norah argued.
“Leave it,” Mikael told the commander.
Soren grumbled under his breath. “What happened to him?” he said as he looked at Alexander.
Mikael slid off his horse and caught Norah by the hand. He pulled her close and spoke for only her to hear. “Why did you think you lost me?” he asked her. Then he glanced at Soren. “I was shot?”
She took a breath in and nodded.
“And I’ve been healed, yet I don’t remember. Tell me what happened.”
