Rise of Heroes

Chapter 19 - Haunting Dreams

Jaden turned in his bed, spreading his arm across the empty space beside him, expecting to sense the cold touch of the sheets beneath his palm. To his surprise, his fingers ran over something smooth and warm, making him frown in his uneasy slumber. A set of fingers that definitely didn’t belong to him wrapped around his hand, raising it up before kissing his knuckles.

His eyes sprung open, and he stared at the person next to him. He blinked slowly, expecting to find himself alone this time, as he should have been in the first place. When that didn’t happen and he met the eyes of the woman lying beside him, he jumped out of bed, stumbling on the sheets and almost falling on his back.

The woman chuckled as she slowly sat up, pulling the sheet to cover her naked body. Her blond hair fell all the way to the small of her back, brushing the sheets with its golden edges. A pair of emerald eyes watched him with the intensity of a cat setting her sight on its prey. She stared at him with no trace of embarrassment, despite her indecent state.

“Who are you?” Jaden asked, his tone sounding much milder than he intended. The rapid beating of his heart drummed in his ears like a warning bell, so he tensed, preparing his body for an attack. She seemed completely at ease and utterly defenseless, but the unmistakable feeling of danger he felt every time when he was close to a demon was making his skin crawl like never before.

She chuckled again, throwing back her hair and getting off his bed, her hips swaying seductively. She pulled the covers after her as she kept holding them in front of her body, leaving most of her back and legs bare. He suspected she did it for his benefit, but it was hard to appreciate it under the circumstances.

“You don’t remember?” she gasped playfully, shaking her head. Jaden moved accordingly, keeping a constant distance between them so she couldn’t take him off-guard. Curiosity stirred within him as he returned her gaze, but as hard as he tried, he could not remember seeing her before, let alone taking her to his bed.

She moved gracefully, one step after another, almost like she was gliding over the ground instead of on it. Jaden allowed himself a quick glance to the side and his gaze stopped on his sword, which was lying on one of the armchairs on the opposite side of the room. In order to get it, he’d have to go right past her and he didn’t want to be near her before finding out who she was. Or what she was.

“I don’t know you. And I think I would remember having a woman in my bed,” he said to keep her talking so he could have some time to devise a plan. A playful flicker flashed in her eyes as she tilted her head.

“You would, wouldn’t you?”

She took a step toward him, and Jaden hastily rushed to grab his sword. His fingers were just wrapping around the hilt when the woman waved with her hand, summoning the weapon straight into her grip. She raised it up with surprising ease — her long, bare hands didn’t even twitch under its weight. Her gaze stopped on its surface, giving Jaden the chance to overcome the shock of what she had just done. His skin was literally hurting from the sensation he got from her closeness, and he could swear a soft glow had appeared around her slender frame.

“Magic,” he whispered, and her eyes returned to him along with her smile.

“So observant!” she laughed and Jaden could feel the sting of her mockery prick on his pride. She took another step in his direction, but he didn’t move, realizing that running would be foolish. If she could wield magic, then she could easily stop him. Kill him even. But why was this woman here with him? Why was she speaking with such familiarity, and why was she naked?

“Who are you?” Jaden demanded, holding his ground even though he wanted to pull as far away from her as possible. She swung with his sword a few times as if testing it, then grew bored and sent it flying to the wall. The weapon landed in the corner and fell down with a loud clang. The witch turned toward Jaden again, smiling as if nothing had happened.

“My name is of no importance for now. Besides, I prefer you work for it. Every woman likes someone to fight for her, don’t you agree?” She said, sliding her finger across his chest now that she was close enough. Her nails left thin red marks where she touched and the place tingled unpleasantly long after she was no longer touching it.

She kept circling him, holding the sheet with her other hand. The sound of her steps disappeared in the thick carpet, but the rustling cloth made it easier for him to determine her position even when he couldn’t see her.

“What do you want from me?” he asked, twisting around so he could face her.

“What do I want?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “What I want is for you to stop holding yourself back and embrace all that you are. What I want is for you to cast away those who are dragging you down and keep you from glory. Only then you’ll reach your true potential and you’ll be ready.”

“Be ready for what?” He frowned as she continued her way toward the terrace. Her smug smile returned and she laughed.

“To stand by my side when the time comes, of course!” Her bright green eyes flickered with a glow that made him wish for the comfort of his sword. “You don’t remember me, darling, but I remember you. We’ve met before. But this time is different. He is coming and I’ll help you choose the winning side.”

“What does that mean? When did we meet? Who is coming? Answer me!” Jaden demanded, taking a step toward her. She continued toward the railing of the terrace, but not before whispering.

“All in due time, darling. Now wake up.”

Jaden opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Instead, he blinked, dumbfounded, just to find a man’s face right in front of him. He jumped back in shock before he was able to recognize Jamie’s face. The young man seemed puzzled at his reaction and even more so when Jaden started looking around in a search of the woman. He didn’t see anybody but the two of them, not a single trace of her presence. Even his sword still lay in the corner, propped against the wall.

“Are you alright, sire?” Jamie asked hesitantly, his eyes looking around uneasily. Jaden realized he was still looking for her even though she was long gone — or had never been there — and was just standing there, stark naked, with his hands balled into fists.

“W-W-What happened?” Jaden asked, swallowing the lump in his throat. It couldn’t have been just a dream. It felt too real.

“I knocked, but you didn’t answer. I know I shouldn’t have let myself in like that, but it was urgent,” he said. “I found you like this.”

Jaden’s eyes finally stopped on the bed’s covers, resting in a pile next to the open terrace door. He cleared his throat after a short pause, turning to face Jamie.

“What is so urgent?” he asked, welcoming the idea of thinking about anything but the witch. It turned out to be easier than he expected since the news Jamie carried was what he was waiting for the past few days. Tamara and her group had returned less than a week ago and she had dispatched scouts on her way back, a few men who were supposed to ride through the nearby villages and assess the situation there.

“The Commander sent me to wake you. The scouts have returned,” Jamie announced. “They are waiting for you in the throne room.”

Jaden nodded absently, striding to the chair and grabbing his sword. He wrapped his finger around the handle, welcoming the familiar assurance it provided, as if there was nothing that could harm him. He shook off the sensation, glancing at Jamie and nodding toward the door.

“Let’s go.”

He had not made more than two steps when Jamie’s voice stopped him.

“Err, sire?” Jaden turned, looking at him impatiently. “You may want to put some clothes on first.”