Mochazon shook his head. “I do not believe it would speak of water. My people dislike rain as it interferes with flight. The word would most likely be an element to aid those seeking out the tree.”
“In that case, let’s think of something else. I don’t want to try another word until we’re certain it’s the right one.”
“I agree,” Kull said. “We’ve tried light. It could be water, but most likely isn’t. What of the other elements? Air, perhaps?”
“Yes, it could be air,” I said. “Air can both give life and destroy. It fills the world, yet can be as small as a seed. Plus, pixies use air while flying. It’s the best guess we’ve come up with so far.”
“Do you have the word for air?” Mochazon asked me.
“Yes,” I answered, stepping to the foot of the bridge. With my magic in the stones, my power flowed more sluggishly as I readied my word for ‘air’. Outstretching my hand, I let the magic flow through me and into the bridge.
“Cirrus!”
Magic drained from my body. The bridge’s symbols glowed pink and then shone brighter until the light enveloped the entire archway.
“I don’t know what Geth has done to the bridge or how long the pixie’s spell will last,” I said. “We should cross quickly.”
The men lined up and crossed one by one. Sweat beaded my brow as I waited, holding my breath as each warrior made his way across. Several men stumbled, but no one fell.
I waited until almost everyone else had crossed to take my turn. When I stepped onto the bridge, the pixie magic surrounded me. It was an ancient power that had faded with time but was still a potent force. The gray glow of the goblin magic mingled with the mystic essence. Trying to keep my focus on crossing the bridge was hard to do with the goblin magic whispering to me. I sensed dark, malevolent forces at play, but what was their purpose?
I’d made it halfway across when I came to the gap. Adrenaline raced through my blood as I leapt over it, landing awkwardly on the other side. Regaining my balance, I moved forward. I would kiss the ground as soon as I got off this bridge.
A gust of air brushed against me, causing strands of my dark-reddish hair to batter my face. Taking controlled steps forward, I kept my focus on putting one foot in front of the other. When I finally stepped off the bridge, the breeze evaporated. Relief washed over me, though the feeling was short-lived as I turned to watch Kull cross.
Despite his size, Kull walked with an air of confidence, as if he’d done this a million times before. Kull never ceased surprise me. Before I’d met him, I’d heard rumors about him, some more believable than others. It was said Kull was the only known being to kill a jagamoor and survive. With his bare hands. While he was tied up. Others claimed he’d only spilled his own blood once, and from it grew the dragons’ forest. And his tears were said to cure any disease.
I held back a smile. Perhaps some of the rumors were exaggerated, but the fact remained that Kull was an impressive person. His skills in battle were unmatched, and he was passionate about protecting his family—to the death if need be. I still had trouble wrapping my mind around the fact that he’d chosen me over the elven princess.
I couldn’t comprehend what he saw in me. I would ask him, but I didn’t feel our relationship was at that point yet. Would we ever be at that point?
A tremor shook the bridge as I felt the goblin magic increase in intensity.
“Kull, run!” I shouted.
The entire bridge collapsed as Kull leapt across the empty chasm toward us. The sound of crashing rocks overpowered our screams. As he fell, Kull managed to grab the edge of the rock face. I rushed forward, grabbed his hands, and several other warriors did the same.
My fingers slipped as I pulled him up, yet he managed to find a foothold and climb over the edge. The other men pulled him the rest of the way. Breathing heavily, we sat on the rocky ground together. After catching my breath, I focused on Kull.
He flashed his rakish grin, the one I hoped he reserved only for me.
“You,” I said, “are one unusually lucky man. Thank goodness for your dumb luck.”
Chapter 4
The warriors gathered around Kull and me as we sat on the cavern floor. Organized chaos reigned around us as the men barked orders. Kull ignored his men as he pulled me close to him, his strong arms encircling me.
His warmth calmed my frantically beating heart. Watching him almost fall to his death had rattled me more than I cared to let on. He must have seen my distress because he pulled me closer, letting my head rest on his chest. Tears tried to leak from my eyes. I pushed them back, but it only made my quivering heart feel as if it would explode.
“Don’t do that again,” I whispered, listening to the steady sound of his beating heart.
“Were you worried for me?”
I looked up, focusing on his intense blue eyes that seemed to drink me in. “What do you think?”
“You shouldn’t worry,” he answered. “Were I to fall to my death, I would simply arrive in Valhalla, where I would slay everyone who opposed me in order to escape, return to our world, and claim you as my own.”
I laughed and wiped away a stray tear. My tension seemed to disappear with his words. “You really think it’s that simple?”
“Of course. We are not meant to be apart, Olive. I will always find you. No matter how far we become separated, I will always return for you.”
His words stirred an unfamiliar emotion in me. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling, but it made me realize I could never lose him. If I did, I would lose myself,
