Chris Evans - The Light of Burning Shadows

With his eyes still closed, he took off his spectacles and cleaned them on his jacket before putting them back on. He risked opening an eye. They were still there, still staring at him. One giggled behind a jeweled hand and Alwyn riveted his gaze on her face. She looked magical. Everything about her was perfect. Her skin, her long dark hair, her bright green eyes…the graceful line of her arm as it rested near her-Alwyn brought his eyes back up to hers.

“I think, that is, um, I think I’m supposed to…choose. One of you, I mean. Uh, if that’s okay?” He was certain that wasn’t okay. Why hadn’t Yimt told him there would be so many! “Oh, I’m Private Renwar, I mean, Alwyn…hi.”

Now several of the women laughed and Alwyn could have sworn his wooden leg began to shake. This had been a terrible idea.

“You do not choose us, Private Renwar Alwyn,” one of the women said, rising to stand. His eyes traced her outline from her feet to her head while his heart roared in his ears. Curves. All he could think of was curves. “It is we that choose you, and I can see that Nafeesah has already chosen.”

The woman who had giggled earlier now stood, and Alwyn found his hand clenching air, remembering Yimt had taken his musket from him. Not that he thought he needed it, but not having it at hand made him feel naked, which only compounded his nervousness. He hadn’t been without his musket since joining the Iron Elves.

“Come with me,” Nafeesah said, holding out a hand.

Alwyn gulped, took a look over his shoulder at the exit, then reached out to take her hand. It was soft and warm. To Alwyn’s amazement, not even the hint of frost fire sparked at her touch. She smiled and led him past the other women and into another, much smaller room through three sets of beaded curtains.

Nafeesah motioned Alwyn to sit on yet more pillows, and he did so, carefully easing himself to the floor so that his caerna didn’t reveal more than he wanted. It was a courtesy Yimt was utterly incapable of mastering.

Candles burned merrily in several small alcoves notched into the plaster walls, giving off a warm light and a scent of pine trees. A long, flat pillow lay in one corner, which Alwyn assumed was the bed. He immediately felt his cheeks grow hot.

“You are an Elf of Iron, yes?” Nafeesah said, tucking her legs underneath her as she sat down in front of him. A sizable chunk of her thigh was revealed, the skin smooth and unmarred.

“Yes!” Alwyn said, surprised at the loudness of his own voice. “Uh, yes, Iron Elf actually, although we’re not really elves, but I guess you knew that. Well, except the major really is an elf. Then there’s his mother, Miss Red Owl, and Tyul Mountain Spring, and the major’s father, the wizard, only he’s not exactly himself right now. Oh, and there was Corporal Kritton, but he ran off back in Elfkyna and we haven’t seen-”

Nafeesah’s finger rested against his lips. “And you are nervous, yes.”

This wasn’t a question.

“What, no. I mean, maybe a little. Is it hot in here? It feels hot in here. Have you tried a hookah before? I just did, earlier I mean, and that smoke really gets to you.” Did his voice really sound that high? And why was he talking so fast?

Nafeesah smiled. “So you’ve done this before then.”

Alwyn nodded several times. “Yes, of course, I mean lots of times…well, no, not yet, not with a woman.”

Nafeesah raised an eyebrow.

“Or a man, or anything else either, I mean!”

Her smile widened. “Then I am honored I will be your first, Renwar.” She reached out her hands and began unbuttoning his tunic.

“That’s my last name,” Alwyn said, not sure what to do with his hands. “My first name is Alwyn, not that it…matters…doesn’t my leg bother you?”

Nafeesah sat back and looked at him, tilting her head to one side. Curly locks of black hair fell across her face and Alwyn wondered if this was what falling in love felt like. He felt as if he was going to be sick, faint, and break out in hysterical laughter all at the same time.

“You are a soldier. These things happen in battle. You survived, and you are now here with me. Is this not a good thing?”

She leaned forward again, but Alwyn caught her hands in his. “I guess, I mean yes, yes it is,” he quickly said as a glint of steel flared in her eyes. “It’s just that so much has happened and I don’t…I don’t know who I am anymore.”

What’s wrong with me? Alwyn released his grip and started to get back up. Nafeesah pushed him hard in the chest, pinning his back to the wall. Alwyn half-smiled and tried to sit forward, then stopped. Her green eyes blazed with something that stilled his tongue.

“Who you are is someone who needs to relax.” She sat back and then reached for a small wooden box that had been between the large pillow and the wall. The wood of the box was very worn and its brass furnishings polished smooth with much use. She set it down between them.

“I’m not sure I feel like smoking or drinking anything else right now,” Alwyn said, hoping he didn’t offend her. “It’s just that my head’s a bit fuzzy at the moment.”

Nafeesah smiled at him. “Then we will fix that.” She waved a hand over the box and the lid popped open on its own.

“Neat trick,” Alwyn said, trying to peer inside.

Nafeesah said nothing, but reached into the box and pulled out a cloth-covered orb. Alwyn tried to keep the disappointment off his face. He wasn’t sure what she might have in the box, but it looked as if it was just a plain old crystal ball, and that didn’t seem all that…exciting.

She held the cloth-covered object in one hand while she waved the other over the box. Again, the lid operated on its own and closed without a sound. She then placed the orb above the lid and removed her hand. The ball, with its cloth covering over it, floated a few inches above the box.

“Okay, really neat trick,” Alwyn said, still not that impressed.

Nafeesah looked at him with an expression Alwyn couldn’t read. Finally, she smiled. “These are not…tricks.” She brought both her hands forward and began weaving them over the ball much in the way Miss Tekoy did when she practiced magic. The realization surprised Alwyn.

“Are you a witch?”

Nafeesah continued to weave the air. After a few more moments she spoke. “Remove the cloth, please.”

Alwyn reached out, grabbed the cloth in one hand, and pulled. A perfectly round ball of sand particles floated above the box. Alwyn looked closer. He could see grains of sand shifting and moving in every direction. He gently reached out a finger and touched the surface, expecting to find a thin glass shell, but his finger passed right through and into the ball itself. The sand swirled around his finger with a warm, ticklish sensation. “How are you doing this?”

“Put both your hands out, palms up,” she said, ignoring his question.

Alwyn complied. The orb of sand fell into his open hands and formed a thin sheet that wrapped around his hands as it continued to swirl. “That tickles,” Alwyn said, lifting his hands up to take a closer look.

“Keep your hands flat,” Nafeesah said, her voice stern. “If you move too much, you will break the spell.”

Alwyn brought his hands back down. “Sorry. So, this is magic, which means you are a witch of some kind, right?”

“I have some skills. Now, let’s see if we can find a way to relax you. I am going to slowly remove your worries and your pain until you are completely at ease, Alwyn.”

Alwyn started to object, but Nafeesah made a pushing motion with her hand. A small portion of the sand broke away from the mass and flowed up the sleeve of his jacket and formed a small circle on his chest. Pressure built at that spot until Alwyn was pinned against the wall. “Wait, you-”