Crown of Thorns

Chapter Thirty-Three

About a Half-Day from a River, Day 112 A.F

Male screams rattled my skull, infiltrating every corner of my mind. With a jolt, my eyes flew open, staring up to an endless, inky sky. My heart thudded, my arms still burned. I glanced at my forearm, but saw no injury. Only my thorn claws, fully present in my subconscious distress. Just a dream. Just a dream. It wasn't real. What was real was the threat from the Lovers, or Gabriel's blackmail. What was real was the possibility of saving Paltic. What was real was Cyprian, warm, and slumbering at my side.

I snuggled closer, wanting nothing more than to burrow into his arms, but wanting nothing less than to steal Cyp's precious moments of sleep. I looked up to his sleeping face, completely at ease. What could he be dreaming about to cause that blissful smile to creep to his handsome face?

Turning over, I spotted Enki, glaring at me. We'd left him on night watch.

You slept with this man on guard? It's a surprise you're still breathing, Lady Lotus sneered.

"How about a 'thank you'?" Enki grumbled, crossing his arms.

"What do you mean?" Reluctantly, I shimmied away from Cyprian's side, not wanting to wake him with my voice. I sat up, eyeing Enki warily.

"Just saved Cyp's life," he grunted, a short distance away, "from you. Your damn vines were wrapping around him like snakes. Only a matter of time before they suffocated him. So I woke you up, and just about had to throw myself out of the way of that arsenal of yours."

My throat clenched up. Had I lost control of my powers in my sleep? Had that horrifying dream caused me to lash out in reality. I stared at Cyprian, peacefully asleep. "It was just a bad dream." My tongue felt like stone. No doubt Enki would throw me out should he learn of my violent dreams... Who had I killed--burnt upon a tree?

Enki regarded me, rubbing his chest slowly. "About the Lovers? Me too."

Not even close. "You have nightmare too?"

"Of course," he admitted. "I think it's just part of being an Arcana. The things we see... the things we experience..."

"Yeah..." I wrapped my arms tightly around my chest, staring around our camp. I shivered. Our fire was dying, but I didn't have much inclination to salvage it. Someone was missing. I turned sharply back to Enki. "Where's Gabriel?"

He pointed towards a scraggly tree. "Up there. Roosting. He doesn't trust us enough to sleep down here."

Rightly so. I peered up at the silhouette. With horror, I saw Gabriel turn his head forward with the stunted motion of a bird. From far away, I could still feel his gaze tickling the back of my neck. I wondered if he could hear us from there.

"That's a little creepy," I mumbled, still staring at the angel.

"Indeed," Enki agreed.

"Any food left?" A day ago, Cyp had managed to spear a passing fish with his sword. Though there'd scarcely been a mouthful for each of us, I dared to hope there was another bite. We'd left the river a short while ago. I didn't want to backtrack, but we couldn't be without food.

"Hardly." He scoffed. "But if we scout ahead we might be able to find some plants. Your Empress-power should be able to tell what's safe to eat."

"We can't leave camp without a guard," I protested. Especially not with Gabriel watching like a hawk.

"Romulus and Morrigury are the best guards here anyway." Enki turned his head to where Tybira slept, head resting against Xanthus's muscular legs and halfway buried in wolf fur. All three canines were awake, laying in a heap atop their alpha, and watching us intently. Smintheus and Morrigury were nowhere to be seen, but I assumed they were nearby. "Besides, with Tybira's acute hearing, she'll wake up right away if something happens."