Page 7 of Married By Wind
“I beg of you,” Vinn said, his voice low and rough, “bend the rules and dissolve this foul magic once and for all. Let us go our separate ways. I will still find a clever way to get rid of the sand devils, but don’t force us to be together.”
The goddess shook her head firmly. “The fact that a mortal entered your mountain and trapped you with the lamp means that something is wrong with you. You’ve become careless.”
Threads of confusion and fear and sadness twisted my thoughts. Vinn didn’t want this either. He’d left me for a reason, and this curse would be the end of everything. Clasping my hands together, I tried to reason with the goddess. “You have the power to dissolve the bond? Please, I only wanted to help my tribe and save them from the sand devils.”
“And you, mortal girl, should have known better than to ask the god of wind for help. All magic comes with a cost, and this is the price you must pay.”
I closed my mouth, stunned at her words, but her icy glare was focused on Vinn. She lifted her hands, and the air shifted.
The spirits of the mountain appeared. At least, that was who I assumed they were. They ranged in size, some part beast, part human, others with pointed ears, sharp teeth, horns, and hooves. My legs went boneless, and I sank to my knees, unable to look away from them.
“The spirits agree with me,” the goddess announced. “Get out of my sight, lest I change my mind and have you bound in human form for life.”
Without waiting for a response, she strode away, and the crowd of spirits slowly disappeared, one by one.
When I caught my breath again, I struggled to my feet. Behind me, the statues no longer blocked the gates. We were seemingly alone in the mountain and free to go. With trepidation, I faced Vinn, and my heart sank. He stared into the gray shadows of the hall, clenching and unclenching his fists. When at last he’d regained self-control, he said, “Come, it’s time to return.”
9
Vinn
Ulika slumped in my arms as I whirled us back to my mountain, and it wasn’t until we arrived that I realized she was unconscious. I wanted to hold her until she awoke but, sensing the inappropriateness of that, instead laid her down gently in the circle of runes. No surprise, the hall of the gods was too much for a mortal to handle, that and their unexpected decision.
Scowling, I studied my rosebush, the one treasure I’d taken from the Frost Mountains. The color and beauty and scent of it reminded me of days of old, when I was younger, without an assignment, and frolicked in the gardens with the fae. I grew up among them, and they treated me as one of their own. Even my magic was not unusual, for there were many who had their own: ice, stone, fire, and even ink magic. The rosebush reminded me that sometimes one must endure thorns to reach the loveliest flowers, but in the end, their beauty is worth the bloodshed.
I tried to remind myself of that lesson as I paced, waiting for Ulika to wake up. Part of me wanted to apologize to her for how the gods had treated us. The wiser part of me tossed it away. Gods did not apologize. I’d done nothing wrong, but the gods of Val Ether had embarrassed me in front of her. How dare they tell me I’d made a mistake and punish me. It made me appear lesser than them and weak, which, ironically, was how I felt. Using magic usually imbued me with an intoxicating rush of power; instead, a wave of weariness washed over me. The curse had sapped my strength.
Sitting down, I put my head in my hands and considered what to do. In order to free myself from Ulika, I had to find the sand devils, and in order to do that, I had to go deep into the desert and lose myself again without using magic. But how to defeat them? If I could trap them again, that would solve the problem, but I needed to bait them. The gods had rejected my request for help, and discussing my plan with Ulika was futile. She didn’t know I was the one who’d set them free, and I had to keep it that way. I didn’t want her to look at me with panic and disappointment, the way she’d looked at Justice. Besides, despite this ordeal, I’d have the one thing I wanted. Her.
Ulika lay on her side, her head propped up under her elbow. Sleep softened her worries and fears, but the lamp sat between us, a stark reminder of why we were together again. This was no blessing of fate, much as I wished it to be. I had to be careful lest I fall under her spell. It had been difficult enough to leave her the first time. The second time would be torture. Unless she no longer returned my affection for her; I hadn’t considered that only because I’d never seen her with another. The idea of her falling in love with a mortal, marrying him and having his children, sent a lightning bolt of rage through my heart.
Ulika mumbled under her breath and then sat up with a start. When her brown eyes met mine, behind them was a hollow longing that made my chest ache. I stood, suddenly feeling self-conscious about what had happened in the hall of the gods and my unhappy thoughts regarding our lack of a future. When I spoke, my words came out rougher than I intended. “We should go,” I told her.
10
Ulika
We were back. I jerked awake, hoping it had all been some terrible nightmare. The shape of Vinn sitting across from me reminded me it was no dream. My throat was thick with the truth. He was the god of wind. I’d experienced his magic and power for myself, except now he appeared diminished somehow and also embarrassed.
Vinn was the god of wind. I had to toss out everything I’d assumed about the gods and about him. I was getting my wish, but he was forced to help me against his will. My veins hardened with dread. This situation was not how I’d imagined it to be. I thought I’d walk into Fae Mountain, I’d offer the lamp as a gift, and the wind would whisk across the desert and destroy the sand devils all within one rising and setting of the sun. Instead, I’d learned the truth about Vinn, trapped him, and taken away his free will. In the mountain, he’d almost begged the goddess to set us free, as though he resented what had happened. As though he resented me. I couldn’t fall apart in front of him. I had to keep my resolve, pretend he meant nothing to me, because it was clear I meant nothing to him.
“We should go,” he suggested.
I nodded in agreement. I had to show him I was willing to work with him, to make this easier for both of us. “Go where?” I asked, standing.
“To hunt the sand devils. I know where they dwell. All we need to do is find them.”
I raised my eyebrows. He was ready to get started right away, but he sounded so sad. Questions rushed into my mind. “You make it sound simple. Do you believe it will take three months?”
“It might. I am uncertain how long it will take to traverse the desert on foot.”
I straightened. “I have my camel, Nika. She’s tied up just outside. At least, I hope she’s still there. She has a tendency to wander off.”
A flash of amusement crossed his face. “I still have never ridden a camel.”
The softness in his features reminded me of old days, when I’d thought he was mortal like me. Something inside of me softened, and the pain in my heart lessened somewhat. I knew something a god didn’t. “I’ll teach you. It’s easy,” I offered.
“Listen.” He ran his long fingers through his unruly hair. “About what happened back there…” He cleared his throat. “Are you okay?”
