"Escape in the stone again, Kara?" He said out loud, stopping in mid-stride, as she turned and began to slip inside the mountain. He'd said it not as a challenge, but a disappointed observation.

His voice was deep, a rumble in a rock hard ribcage that reverberated inside the golden lotica lit room. Her stubborn eyes never left his even when he reached up and removed his eye coverings.

Kara's own perception widened in understanding as she saw his real eyes for the first time, dark and fringed in darker lashes, but like hers in all ways. He crouched, ready to spring. More than anything, she felt his strong desire to give in to the hunt. He would never give up now that he had her frequency.

The mountain had already accepted her, the meld was about to happen.

"You're beautiful." He told her. "Lavender and golden eyes the color of these flowers." He made one stalking foot ease up the sand, both hands ready to grab her as she disappeared.

She couldn't admit that he was actually the most handsome man she'd ever seen.

"You---." Confusion rippled into her awareness. "I dreamed of you."

"I taught you to speak in here, in our minds, do you remember? I gave you strength."

Kara felt her bravado slipping. It was him all along? Not Jerrika, not anyone else, but him!

"I have sensed you since the first day. Our connection is strong, little one."

Kara remembered the moment on the stairs, her clearest memory of him. She felt instantly violated, and yet-- how could she be angry, when his strength had given her the only solace she'd had?

"Why would you give me comfort and strength?"

"I felt your pain."

"I've felt people's pain before, but wasn't strong enough to take it away."

He shrugged. "I am not the monster you think I am."

She reared back. "Yes! You are!"

A splash in the pool behind him made Rion turn, even though he was sure she'd thrown a rock as a diversion.

"Go Kara!" Galantyne shouted as he drew his sword and lunged across the fragile lotica. Shock filled Kara's breast at the thought that her irresponsible and reckless disregard for her brother's authority may have caused his death. His reddish hair swung away from his face, and his muscles rippled in challenge. Rough metal on metal tore through them as Rion drew his sword.

"Yes, go Kara!" Rion urged. "I am exhilarated to face your mate and kill him in his passion. It will be like when I killed your friend and his mate, was it Braddon and Blyanna? I believe those were their names. A real match of wits and intelligence. Yes, go, Kara, don't stay to witness the demise of your man."

"Have you forgotten the sting of my arrows, Foeman?" 

Rion faced Galantyne but saw Kara draw her bow out of the corner of his eye.

He drew his dagger and threw it before either of them could make a move, piercing Kara's hand, causing her to drop the bow. He faced Galantyne squarely and dashed across the short expanse to engage him.

Kara fell to her knees with the sudden release of nerves in her hand and wrist, but on her way down she grabbed the petals of a giant lotica and wrapped her bleeding hand. She yanked hard on the dagger protruding from between her fingers, looking up as the blistering ring of metal echoed through the little room. The wicked blade slipped wetly from her hand, with a thick gush of blood.

She had to help Galantyne! She let the bow and arrows drop off her back and reached for her sword. Just one fatal stab. She struggled to her feet, raising her sword.

"Kara! Leave here at once!" Galantyne's voice was harsh with his efforts. "Go!"

She wanted to stay and help, he needed her help! If he died or was captured because of her...!

She couldn't stand the thought. Wasn't it because of her disregard for his orders that he was here at all right now? She lowered her weapon, seeing the parries and thrusts as the two evenly matched warriors lunged and scraped their way across the little cavern.

How could she just leave? Could her distraction be the reason he fell, if he did? Would her leaving later be seen as cowardice? She backed away, reached the wall again, and grabbed her bow and quiver with her two sea arrows. He'd told her to leave. This time she had to obey! She placed both hands on the living stone and concentrated on its warmth and sentience. She was shocked as it seemed to reach out and fling her through itself far away from the battle raging within the lotica room.

Rage coursed through her. She'd intended to stay just inches inside the stone, and fire her sea arrow from inside. Now she was being drawn through fissure after fissure, away from the sounds of the heated fight as if the mountain had been instructed to keep her away. No! Her hands reached back, directing herself toward Galantyne. No!

The noise receded and Kara twirled, wetly, blindly, faster than she'd ever moved within the stone, flung far by the mountain's commands. Hadn't Korlon told her that he had ordered the mountain to keep her? Was this his doing?

Launched is what she felt as the living stone ejected her, and her body spit out into mid-air. She visualized her death, grasped the air with fingers turned talons and spun herself into molten silver bird, out of control. One large whooshing flap of her wings and she smashed blindly into a tunnel wall falling headlong into a deep trenched abyss, darkness and terror the only aspects of life that registered as she mercifully lost consciousness.

*******

The sounds of battle raged on in the lotica room, the smell of human sweat and blood, the crush of sentient leaves and petals. Panting, and cut, each man circled, still trying to gain an upper hand.

"She's gone." Rion panted. "Your little searcher girl has fled."

"My little searcher girl! That girl is my sister!" Galantyne gritted. "You have no idea who you are fighting! I am Galantyne, and this is my search, Foeman!" Each word was spat in proud and derisive terms, a reminder that Rion found exhilarating. Galantyne! The Galantyne! The fortress builder himself! Taan's own son!

"The privilege of killing you is my honor, sire!" He stabbed as Galantyne ducked.

"You will not live to glory in it."

They circled each other, pushing alternately into the water and then forward, up the slippery incline toward the sandy hill covered in lotica flowers.

Neither man would give up and therefore they continued the fight. Powerful muscles strained against tight armor. "You've fought Foemen before." Rion panted.

"I have."

"The stories are legendary. The halls of Sentinel echo the shouts of your conviction, warrior." Rion kept parrying but couched his praises in admiration even as he fought. "Make no mistake. We are better prepared now because of those who fought you. I will not make the same mistakes they did!"

"That is why I have changed my strategy!" Galantyne let out a piercing whistle, and through the rock melded two more warriors the same size and shape as Galantyne. Rion let his sword dip.

Warriors.

"We aren't little girls, Foeman." The first one sneered, his black hair waving around the quiver he had on his back.

"Then why have you sent little girls to do your work?" Rion gritted out, placing himself with the pond at his back, eyeing the two newcomers warily. Of course, it changed things. He had no choice now but to retreat. To waste his life for no purpose would be wrong, and this fight, over one Searcher girl, even Galantyne's sister herself, was fruitless. He knew his own worth far better than they did.

Galantyne's stance relaxed as he re-sheathed his sword, his two men moved forward. He glanced down, assessing the condition of his boots. Rion never took his eyes off Galantyne.

"Let me tell you something about those little girls." Galantyne whispered coldly. "They are remarkable in their conviction and valor. They will never give up.  They also have powers you can't dream of. Power to find the Talisman, cure the planet, and allow us to wipe out you exiled traitors." He spat in a puddle at Rion's feet.

Rion forced a short laugh. "I have seen evidence of no such power. The little sister we captured cowers like a child at the sight of our Master." He wove his sword dangerously as the two warriors advanced. He could take them, he could fight them.

"Yet you keep her intact." Galantyne stated, using Rion's own word, piercing Rion's eyes firmly.

"She's of use to Quildor." Rion waved the tip of his sword, covering all three of them.

"I would meet with him then. Tell him for me. Meet here, tomorrow, just you and him."

Rion's lip curled in a sneer, grasping the importance of a meeting with Quildor immediately. If he even hinted to Quildor that he'd had a Searcher girl, the sister of Galantyne, in his reach and hadn't captured or killed her.... If he told Quildor about a meeting with Galantyne...

"Quildor will meet on his terms, not yours." He realized this fight had ended, and they were foolishly hoping he'd deliver their message. Galantyne's next words proved the validity of that thought.

"Just tell him. Same time. Here." The two warriors responded to some sign from Galantyne, and they went back the way they'd come, through the living stone, a skill or power Rion didn't possess. Galantyne knew he wouldn't kill him now. They were two opposing warriors, but a code of honor held them rigidly bound when a fight was over.

Rion realized as Galantyne disappeared through the living stone that he had just been subject to the leadership of a being who demanded respect, and exuded a noble aura, so that anyone in his presence would give it to him. He whirled in frustrated awe at the turn of events this day. His cuts were dripping, but he felt no pain, he grabbed a lotica petal and swiped at the worst of it, a deep oozing puncture on the upper left arm, a smaller cut below it.

*****