This peice is a real part of my book, so I'd like to hear what you have to say. Also I do know how the title sounds but it will make a bit more sense once you read it.

 

 

Ryshonn’s eyes blazed with anger as he leveled his gaze at the man who currently had his staff pressed to Gabriella's throat. “Let her go.” 

The man tightened his hold, she could just see him shake his head out of the corner of her eye.

“I cannot.” There was a moment of silence before the man began to speak again. “The only way you will ever win, is if you learn to face your fears." He said softly. "Leave Gabriella out of this Gelding. Your quarrel is with me." Ryshonn said.

What was he talking about, a quarrel? Ryshonn knew this man, and the man’s words continued refusing to make sense the more he spoke. 

Gelding laughed bitterly. "If I wanted to hurt you I would have. But as it is you need a push, to fulfill your destiny. You must do this without magic, and thanks to the Crystals growing from top to bottom of this pool you will not be able to use yours." A fight seemed to rage inside of Gelding until he snapped. "Ryshonn, I have no choice. He has my Mother, and he won't let her go until he has won." His tone shifted to a whisper. "Or been defeated." 

Gabriella was taken aback by this revelation, but who was this He? And why did He want to keep Gelding's Mother? Weren't the villains supposed to be… well villains?

She had no time to look at Ryshonn to see his reaction to the news, as Gelding forced shackles on her wrists, shoving her roughly to the ground another jagged piece of metal was clamped around her ankles attached to a ball and chain. All of this happened in a few seconds. And faster than she could blink he yanked her up, but she could have sworn he whispered “I’m sorry” before he sent her toppling into the pool of glowing yellow-green water. As she crashed down into the water she began thrashing, the water burned like acid, and any drop of magic she may have had left was burned away. The ball and chain dragged her to the bottom, crystals flashed worryingly near her face, one raking her left cheek bone. If she had been able to think clearly she might have tried catching the chain on one of the larger clumps, but the longer she stayed in the water her strength drained. Then she hit the bottom, landing painfully on a slab of crystal her consciousness began to fade away. Blearily she gazed up, wishing she could somehow reach the top. Then a figure blocked the light as Ryshonn dove in. 

By the time he made it to her, her lungs were burning nearly as fiercely as the water. They made eye contact, her eyes half closed, his eyes open wide. He helped her into an upright position before he took hold of the chain around her wrists and slipped it over his head, he turned away from her and pulled her hands onto his shoulders. She gripped his shoulders as tightly as she was able, draped against his back. When he reached for the wall, he used the crystals for hand holds scaling the wall. Her vision was nearly black when with a final surge of strength Ryshonn pulled them up, over the edge and out of the water. Taking the chain from around his neck he dragged her a ways from the pool, she coughed the cold air catching in her throat, her heart felt like it could still explode with the way her lungs were trying to overcompensate. Eventually she managed to choke out a thanks. He reached over, taking her hands in his, helping her right herself enough to where he can get to the lock on her chains. He slid a thin piece of metal out of his pocket and set to it. By the time her breathing calmed he had freed her, the weight of the oppressive shackles falling to the ground between them. He looked around, confusion, wariness, fear. Each expression warred clearly on his face. She tried to keep her eyes open as Ryshonn walked through the room, searching for something. But she felt like a force was raging through her body, eyes closed she tried to still even as she began to tremble with the cold, she wrapped her arms around herself, shivering slightly. 

A hand landed on her shoulder, she opened her eyes to see Ryshonn kneeling in front of her concern written in his eyes. "Ryshhhh…" A coat was wrapped around her, as he placed a hand on her shoulder warmth flooded through her and she was dry in a matter of minutes. Gently he pulled her to her feet, her left foot throbbed painfully but she did her best to ignore it. 

“Come on, we need to get you back to the inn.” She pulled the coat, his coat she now realized, snugly around herself. He wrapped an arm around her back, not rushing her, but gently leading her to the cavern's entrance. They passed no one, none of their friends or the others who had come with them. There was no sign of any of them. 

She peered out of the cave and saw that it had begun snowing. Gabriella shivered, she felt certain she wouldn’t be able to make it back to the village even with Ryshonn’s supporting arm around her. He seemed to be thinking along the same lines because he said. 

“We won’t make it back down like this.” 

He looked down to her, and she nodded. 

“I’ll transform into an animal and with you holding on we should make it.” 

She tried not to think of the “should” in that statement, nodding again. 

The change was almost instantaneous, one second Ryshonn stood by her as a young man, and after blinking twice he had become a huge white bear on all fours. He nodded his head to his back, signaling her to climb on. She made sure the coat was tight and then pulled the hood snugly up over her head, before clambering aboard.

Once on his powerful back she wrapped her hands in the thick white fur. When she was settled Ryshonn started off at a walk, navigating the jumble of rocks until he reached the road, a few minutes later the snow began falling in earnest. He gradually picked up speed, the warmth of her body pressed up against his was the only thing keeping the chilling cold at bay. Yet as he continued his loping strides she fell into sink with his movements, and was able to hold on as he quickened his pace. She was thankful that she didn’t have to concentrate too hard on staying on, because as she watched the snowfall grew heavier and faster until it was near blizzard like conditions. She buried her face into the fur protecting her skin from the whipping wind and snow. The further they went the dimmer things became. 

Dimmer…. And dimmer- 

 

She must have passed out because next thing she knew she was on the ground, someone was shaking her, repeating her name over and over. 

“Gabriella, Gabriella.” 

With a sharp inhale she started upright, then fell back, Ryshonn caught her, keeping her in a near sitting position. 

She put a hand to her head, her skull pulsed with an uncomfortably warm pressure that grew by the moment. 

“I don’t feel so well.” She mumbled. Her hand dropped away as Ryshonn’s hand took its place. “You're burning up.” He murmured, sounding confused. 

With great effort she managed to just open her eyes, blinking slowly up at him. The burning left as quickly as it had claimed her, leaving her shivering, trembling with the cold that felt like it was creeping into her very bones. She leaned into him, closing her eyes tightly as Ryshonn tried shaking her again, asking her what was going on. But she couldn't force her eyes or her mouth open, she couldn't entirely control her own body. She felt him take her in his arms, cradling her. She tucked herself into him and he wrapped his arms around her even more tightly. 

“Hold on. I've got you.” He told her. Somehow she stayed conscious, but only just, trying to fight the hot and cold that seemed to war within her. 

 

Slowly, as Ryshonn trudged through the snow the burning dissipated leaving her only with the cold. Ryshonn seemed to feel it too. “Hold on, I think there is a cave up ahead!” He had to shout for her hear, the roaring of the wind doing its best to silence him.

 

There really was a cave, and once inside he set her down near the back. She heard crackling noises, dully thinking he must have started a fire. But none of its warmth reached her, or if it did, it only reminded her of how cold she truly was. She shivered harder. Wrapping her arms around herself in an effort to calm the shivering.

She didn't even know if Ryshsonn was still there until he gathered her in his arms, murmuring a spell of heat into her hair. Heat flowing from his body to hers. She tucked herself into him as he settled himself against the back wall. As she thawed she reveled in the feeling of warmth, blessing each moment of it. He began to rub her back and it soothed away more of the cold. She practically melted at his touch as he continued to hold her. She rested her head on his chest. Her breathing calmed until she fell asleep in his arms.