Lucidity chapter 25

Chapter 25 (The chaser or the chased)

            Jekor’s feet slide across the dirt covered street as she comes to a stop by her packed supplies.

            Two crates of food sat around nine bottles of liquor and two water-skins. A large saddlebag sat atop each of the crates. Closer to the northern gate, Kkaj spoke with a pair of women before climbing into an armored cart. Where was Iiffar?

            A pressure wrapped around Jekor’s chest, and his breaths came slow. What if she couldn’t find any — He blinked then his eyes bulged. Moonshine! I forgot to give her money. He gritted his teeth.

            In the distance, a loud explosion rang through the streets. Ba-boom. The ground shook. Bang-bang-bang. Gunfire?

            She wouldn’t have been stupid enough to steal horses, would she? Jekor groaned. He pressed his right hand to his brow and shook his head. She’s a foreigner. Of course, she would. He stomped. “Moonshine! Moonshine moonshine moonshine!” He spun and kicked one of the crates, cracking the wood. Some of their food spilled out onto the grime-covered street. “Moonshine made with crocobear shit!” He picked up the food and began stuffing the saddlebags.

            The explosions grew closer.

            Once Jekor finished packing the food and liquor into the two saddlebags, he popped open his flask of vodka and drank until his eyes watered. This is going to leave me hungover. He pushed the earth energy into the street ahead of him. Twisting it and turning it to cover the whole block.

            Leading a second horse, a lone rider came into view. Iiffar’s long hair whipped around her scrunched face. She slowed her gallop and took her left hand off the reins. What was she doing? She needed to — Her hand shot into her Drunkzard vest and pulled out a flask. What color?

            I need to have a talk with her about what is and isn’t okay in foreign cities. He glanced to the left and right the created a wall across each of the alleys near him.

            Iiffar drank then returned the flask to her pocket. A moment later, she slowed a bit more and pointed towards the guards that came riding around the corner. Fire leaped from her fingers and turned the night into day.

            Some of the guards screamed.

            Fwoom! The fire crashed into something and snuffed out.

            “Moonshine!” Iiffar reached into her Drunkzard vest again and pulled out a blue flask. She drank the whiskey and deflected an incoming volley of bullets just before the reached the horse. Her chest heaved. Her jaw tightened. How much longer did she have before the hangover set in?

            “Ride faster!” Jekor drank more vodka and magnified the waiting stones along the main street. If one of the guards were a Drunkzard, he had to be ready.

            Iiffar met Jekor’s eyes and sighed. She snapped the reins and increased her pace.

            The guards fired again.

            Her magnetic shield barely deflected the bullets before shattering.

            A grimace crossed her face, and she gritted her teeth.

            The horses inched forward as Jekor’s heart raced.

            Iiffar crossed the line.

            I hope this doesn’t kill any of the guards. He released the last of his earth energy, springing the trap.

            A massive wall sprang up between the buildings, melding into their structure. The rest of the ground behind it crumbled into a massive pit. Guards and horses screamed alike.

            Iiffar pulled her horse up short of Jekor, and a wicked laugh burst from her mouth. Was she enjoying this? “That was a rush. And the way you blocked the street like that. Wow.” She climbed from the saddle and wrapped him in a hug.

            He started, his words of reprimand vanishing in her warm embrace.

            Her soft skin sent goose bumps racing down his arms. She squeezed him tighter, pressing her breasts into his chest.

            As her musky odor filled his nose, he became hard. What did being with a woman feel like?

            She laid her head on his shoulders, and the tension left her muscles.

            Jekor rubbed the small of her toned back. Fire raced through his veins. Was this what some books called “Love at first sight?” No. This was not the first time he had seen here, but it didn’t feel like Lust. Should he kiss her?

            Iiffar backed away, pulling him from his thoughts. A smile crossed her delicious-looking lips. “Thank you.”

            He blinked. “For?”

            Lightning struck Jekor’s earth barrier. Boom!

            Iiffar stared at her shoes and ground her left foot into the ground. “Everything.”

            Jekor found himself grinning.

            Boom! More lightning slammed into the wall, creating a massive crack down the center.

            Adrenaline filled his muscles, and his heart sprang into his throat. “We can talk more on the road.” It will help me catalogue what this feeling is. He grabbed the saddlebags and flipped them onto the horses. “For now, we need to get out of the city.” After handing Iiffar her backpack and securing the saddlebags, he helped her onto her horse. Then, he climbed onto his, and as more bolts of lightning tore the earth barrier to pieces, they rode out the northern gate.

Next: Chapter 26