Savage King: New Worlds - Milly Taiden Page 0,57
to be with anyone else.” He’d never want anyone else, but that may not matter in the future. “She doesn’t begin to compare with you. You are perfect to me.” His thumb brushed away a tear.
“Really? You mean that?” she asked.
He drew her close and kissed her, putting everything he felt into the kiss in case it was their last.
She pushed him back. “Hold that thought. We have to get everyone out of the woods. There’s a fire coming.”
He lifted his nose, the burning smell was stronger. “How was a fire started? There should not have been anyone out here.”
“It was this half troll/half human thing with a hundred of those little shits the mama tigers chased.”
“Kappies?”
“With spears. They were downright scary. Like fugly toy clowns come to life.”
He wasn’t sure what she just said, but he recognized the words weapons and fear. He took her hand and headed toward the village.
“The troll threw a ball of fire into the trees after a tree saved me from them. The fire is moving faster than possible. It’s like it’s on a rampage to burn everything.”
He stopped. “Black fire?”
Her eyes were wide with fright. “I saw black streaks in the fire. Evil magic, right?”
“Yes, magic with a mission to kill everything in its path. We have to move faster. Get on my back.” He shifted into his tigron and lay on the ground for her to get on.
“Oh shit,” she griped as she threw a leg over his back, “are you sure about this? I’ve never even ridden a horse before.”
This won’t be any horse ride, my love. He couldn’t tell her that in this form, but she’d figure that out in a moment. With his first step, she rocked backward, legs flying up, but she grabbed a fistful of his fur and pulled herself down, wrapping arms around his neck. When she was settled, he kicked it up a notch, and she screamed another curse into his neck as he ran full out.
At least the decision for this was easy. They all had to get to the creek and on the other side. There was too much of a gap for even black fire to jump. They would be safe.
Reaching the village, he roared to get everyone’s attention. He hoped the older ones remembered his father was also a tigron, even though he seldom changed forms. He padded up to Iridia standing with the elders and sat so his mate could stand. She slid off his back, landing on her ass on the ground and lay with a deep sigh.
“We are never doing that again,” she said. Iridia helped her up as he changed.
“We need to move quickly,” he said. “Black fire is eating the forest.”
Those nearby gasped. “From where? Who would start it?”
Xenos frowned. “I’ve felt and seen strange things lately. The dark magic is somehow gaining strength. My mate has seen a creature I do not know of. It has the ability to make the black magic.”
One of the elders stood. “We must get to the creek.”
“No,” his mate blurted. “These evil creatures said they will be waiting there to kill everyone. We can’t go there.”
“That’s the only place to go to escape such magic,” another elder said.
“What about the jungle?” Wren asked.
“It is beyond the creek.”
“Shit,” his mate grumbled.
“What would you like to do, Alpha?” Iridia asked.
He looked around at those staring at him. “No matter what, we’re leaving. Have everyone start packing only the necessities. Gather the children.” He grabbed his sister’s arm. “Including your own,” he finished with a frown. He would discuss her choice to not inform him of all the truth later.
“Zee,” Wren said, “you cannot go to the creek. They are waiting to kill all of you.”
Fear shot through him. “What other choice do we have?” At that moment, he watched as the cleared tables from the meal slid under the dirt where they were kept until the next meal.
“Oh,” Wren said, “that’s so cool. I wondered where they were kept. Wait,” she turned to him, “can everyone just wait out the fire in their domed homes? Fire can’t burn the dirt, right?”
“Black fire does,” one of the elder said. “It penetrates the ground to destroy even the magic in the soil.”
He liked her idea of going underground. With a normal fire, that would’ve been the solution. “How far down does it burn? What if we dig a hole. . .” No, that wouldn’t work. His people couldn’t breathe in dirt, just move