Page 46 of Legacy of the Heirs
“Who said a fight with swords?” he asked, cocking his head. He turned on his heel and beckoned her to follow with his hand. “Obnoxious piece of—"
“I can hear you.”
Elisara followed Kazaar’s footprints in the snow until they were hidden behind the tree line from Vlad and his guards.
“Vlad will worry,” she said.
“He saw us walking in this direction. He is fine.” Kazaar undid the leathers across his chest, and Elisara followed suit. She removed her cloak, avoiding how bare Kazaar now seemed as he rolled his shirt sleeves. She swallowed and tossed the cloak aside, where it landed in a crumpled pile at the base of a tree.
“Are you not cold?” Elisara asked, placing her hands on her hips. The sleeves of her sheer white shirt billowed in the breeze, and the leather corset around her waist provided the only layer of warmth. She was grateful for the thick socks beneath her long, laced boots.
“Are you?” he asked, glancing at her attire. Elisara scoffed.
“Of course not. I was born with ice in my veins.”
Kazaar smirked. Flicking his hand, he tossed an icicle from a tree branch in her direction, forcing her to duck.
“Kazaar!” she exclaimed.
“It appears, so was I,” Kazaar said. Elisara narrowed her eyes, reminded of when he revealed his powers to her in Keres.
“You need to move past it, angel,” he said, but Elisara waved her hand, sending snow from the tree above him to fall on his head.
“I told you, stop calling me that!” she hissed, and he dared to laugh. “I’m serious, Kazaar!”
“Why does it make you so mad?” Kazaar knelt and raised a palm over the snow until it melted beneath the flicker of his flames. A pool of water emerged at his feet. He rose, and as he did, the water plumed and rose with him.
“That is exactly why!” Elisara exclaimed, pointing towards the tendrils of water he now controlled. He raised an eyebrow. “You are acting as if nothing happened, as if I should simply be fine with what occurred and allow us to jest and act as if we are—”
“Are what?” he asked, hurtling the water at her. Elisara was quick to raise her hand, freezing it mid-air so it formed a long, smooth spear.
“As if we are friends!” She hurtled the spear towards him, but vines rose from the ground, catching it before it pierced his chest. “Now, stop using your powers against me!” Elisara exclaimed.
She glanced around to ensure no one was hiding or watching him master all four elements.
“Friends?” Kazaar asked. Vines crept towards her along the ground, and she froze them.
“You do not want to be my friend?”
“Damn it, Elisara! Try something other than your air powers.” Kazaar sent more vines towards her, but these were coated in flames. Elisara’s eyes widened.
“What on earth do you mean?” she asked, extinguishing themwith a gust of wind.
“You heard what Nyzaia said. This tie between us allows us tosharepowers,” Kazaar explained. “That means you should be able to access mine: fire, water, earth—”Darkness.The word flickered in his mind, breaking through the edge of his iron-clad wall. Her mind flashed to Garridon where dark shadows surrounded them both. It did not scare her, though; it intrigued her.
“This is ridiculous!” Elisara retrieved her dull-coloured sword and stormed towards him, raising her arm to swing. He rolled out of the way, forcing her to spin to face him. He stood with the Sword of Sonos and swung back at Elisara, forcing her to duck and shift.
“And no, angel”—He swung at her again, forcing her to deflect— “I do not want to be yourfriend.” Kazaar must have felt the flicker of hurt that passed through her as he frowned, but she ignored him and swung again, pushing him further back. Sparks rose with every clash of their swords.
“Fine, we won’t be friends,” Elisara breathed. Sweat beaded on her forehead but froze just as fast. “You are my commander; perhaps we both need reminding of that.” A rush of emotions burst through her, yet they were not her own. Kazaar twisted his sword at a different angle, and Elisara stumbled to meet it. He had the upper hand again and drove her back, the clash of their swords ringing with every hit. With every spark flashing from their weapons, Elisara noticed the growing twists of shadow and light climbing their arms. The rise and fall of their chests quickened.
“I do not want to be just your commander, angel.” He stepped forward, forcing her back. “If I were merely your commander, I would have to stand by your side as countless suitors asked for the hand of my queen.” He swung, and white light danced across their bare arms as their eyes locked. “If I were only your commander, I would have to punish myself for every thought I have of you.” When she stumbled, the sword caught the fabric of her shirt and ripped open her collar, exposing her flushed chest. She gasped asher back hit the tree, yet she raised her sword, crossing it again with the Sword of Sonos. “For every moment I think about how you looked in red.” She was reminded of the alcove and how closely their bodies pressed together. “For every memory of when you finally awoke and how all I wanted was to take you in my arms.” Elisara’s arms weakened, but Kazaar did not push further, allowing the swords to hover between them. “Do you know how scared I was? How many regrets I had? I regretted not telling you of my powers sooner or revealing how I truly felt and how all I want from this life is to be by your side.” Elisara swallowed hard. His eyes darkened, speckled with shadow and light.
“So no, angel, I do not want to bejustyour commander. Because a commander would not look at his queen and feel like she is the other half of his soul.”
Kazaar’s chest quickly rose and fell. His hair, having fallen free, now framed his face. Elisara’s breathing matched his as the raw truth of his words hit her. Desire tingled through her body, though she was unsure if it was hers or his. Her eyes trailed his features, searching for the truth in his eyes as her grip on her sword weakened. This man wanted to devour Elisara, hold her—he thought only of her.
She could no longer deny she reciprocated those feelings. Elisara dropped the sword, and Kazaar matched her actions as she pulled his face to hers. Their lips collided, the kiss one of urgency, desire, and untamed need. It was instinct—all of it. He reached around Elisara, and his warm hands caressed her back as he lifted her up against the tree. She wrapped her legs around his waist as his hands freely roamed her sides until settling on her face to hold it close to his. She never wanted him to let go.
