“Good luck,” Krea whispered in my ear.
“I’m going to miss you so much,” Loka said.
My mother hugged me so long and tight I started to feel like she was never going to let me go. Then she pulled back to look at me. “This is your destiny and I’m very proud of you. Your father would be too. Take care of yourself and those four young men, and come visit whenever you can.”
I sniffed. “I will.”
“Remember, you’re descended from a long line of priestesses.” She patted my cheek. “Now get to the Fire Temple before the volcano tears apart our town.”
I chuckled through my tears. “Yes, Mom.”
I turned away and grabbed the bag that held the few things I’d decided to take with me. It was time to face my destiny.
My four men formed a circle around me as we moved through the town, parting the crowd like a wave. The people I’d known my entire life now looked at me with a mix of awe, fear, and hope. Many of them called out their blessings or wished us well, some even thanking us for protecting them from the volcano, while others frowned or turned away. Maybe they didn’t believe the Fire God had truly chosen me, or maybe they didn’t agree with me taking four mates.
“Whore,” someone muttered in the crowd, and Blane lurched forward like he would strike the person down. Falon gripped his arm and held him back. I bowed my head, my face heating up and no doubt turning red, and picked up my pace. Though it was sad leaving my village and family, there were definitely some people I would not miss.
We kept walking and soon left the crowd and the town behind. I’d gone over the map with my mother last night, since she’d visited the Fire Temple once as a child, though she hadn’t left Sparkport in many years. According to her, people in our village used to regularly visit the temple and leave offerings, but that fell out of practice. It was likely no one had visited for at least twenty years now.
As we followed the road, I hefted my bag higher on my shoulder. I’d only brought one, and it had been hard to leave a lifetime’s worth of belongings behind, but for this journey I only needed the essentials. Plus a few books, of course. I would return and get the rest of my things once I was settled in the temple.
“Thank you again for coming with me,” I said to the men, who had fanned out around me. “I know it was a lot to ask and on such short notice too. I mean, you had to give up your families, your professions, and your homes. I’m still in awe that you all said yes.”
“You had to give up all of those things too when the Fire God chose you,” Falon pointed out. “At least we had a choice.”
“The Fire God did give me a choice, but it didn’t feel like much of one. How do you say no to a God?” I smiled faintly as I remembered my fear upon meeting him. “Although I wouldn’t have said no anyway. Though it was a shock at first, I truly feel this is my path. As if I’d been searching for myself my entire life and now I finally found her. And all of you are a part of that. Maybe there was a reason I felt so strongly for all of you…” I trailed off, stealing glances at the men, wondering if I’d said too much. I still didn’t know if they felt the same for me. They were here with me, but was that because of duty, friendship, desire…or love?
“Anyway, I really appreciate that you’re all going on this journey with me,” I added quickly. “For the last few years I’ve been torn between each of you, unable to decide who I wanted to spend my life with. I’m so happy that now I don’t have to decide. I can have you all.”
Falon cleared his throat. “I can’t speak for the others, but I’m happy to be here, even if it was unexpected.”
“You know I’m always up for an adventure,” Blane said.
“No kidding,” Roth said. “Did you bring the fireworks?”
“Of course I did,” Blane said.
Derel rolled his eyes. “You’ll probably shoot off your arm with them.”
Blane grinned. “If I do, we’ll call it an offering to the Fire God. He’ll love it.”
I laughed and shook my head. If nothing else, I would never be bored at the Fire Temple with these four around.
It wasn’t long before we had to diverge off the road to begin walking on the rough terrain. The volcano was almost directly north of Sparkport on the coast, and while there might have been a road leading to it years ago, it had all but vanished now. This journey would have been a lot faster and easier if we were all riding horses, but our village didn’t have any that could be spared. I wasn’t sure we’d be able to get horses up the volcano anyway—we were in for a bit of a climb once we reached it.
I glanced up at Valefire in the distance, which was still releasing a never-ending stream of white smoke into the sky. Journeying there seemed an impossible task, and no one in their right mind would ever want to live there. I could only trust that the Fire God knew what he was doing—even if it was hard to banish my fears and doubts about what was to come.
Chapter Eight
We stopped for a quick lunch by a tiny stream that looked like it might dry up at any moment. How would we get water at the volcano anyway? People had lived there at one point so there must be a way, but it only reminded me I had no idea what to expect at the temple.
I sat with my back against a scraggly little tree which offered a tiny amount of shade. Derel sat beside me, taking the rest of the shade, while the other guys found other spots near the stream to try to stay cool. As we got closer to Valefire it would no doubt get hotter too.
“What do you think we’ll encounter at the Fire Temple?” I asked, as I ripped apart a piece of the bread my mother had packed for us.
Derel brushed crumbs off of himself. “I don’t know. Hopefully it’s still standing.”
“Were your parents upset about you leaving? They’ll have to find someone else to help run the butcher shop now.”
“Dad was upset, but luckily my cousin can step in and take my place at the shop. Mom was sad, but was also excited because I was going with you.” He rolled his eyes. “Still hoping we’ll get married and give her tons of grandkids, no doubt.”
“Of course.” Except…we kind of were getting married. Not officially, but in practice. Unless they didn’t see it the same way I did?
“Are you sure you want to do this?” I asked, trying to ignore the tightness in my chest. “I know the two of us haven’t always gotten along in the past.”
He snorted. “Only because you’re always picking fights with me.”
I turned to face him. “Me? You’re the one who is always rude to me!”
“Maybe because you deserve it.”
I threw my last piece of bread at his head. “I do not. If anyone deserves rudeness, it’s you.”
He threw the bread back at me, his brows drawn together. “Gods, you make me crazy, Calla. You’re stubborn and infuriating and so damn beautiful it nearly hurts to look at you sometimes.”
“I…what?” I’d been so ready to argue with him more that his last words made my mouth fall open in shock.
He slid his hand into my hair and drew me toward him, capturing my wordless surprise with his lips. Twenty years of pent-up frustration and desire unraveled at his kiss and I found myself pulling at his shirt to draw him closer. When his tongue slid against mine it sent a rush of heat right between my legs.
“I’m shocked,” I managed to say. “I had no idea you felt that way.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You must know how we all feel about you.”
“No, I truly don’t.” Although I was beginning to realize it. I probably should have known all along, but I’d been worried my feelings for them were mostly one-sided. Only once they’d agreed to journey with me to the Fire Temple did I realize they might care for me the same way I cared for them.
Derel ran his fingers through my blond hair like he couldn’t get enough of it. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for years. I’ve spent long nights thinking about wrapping this hair around my fingers. And all the other things I want to do with you too…”
“If you had feelings for me, why didn’t you ever tell me?
He shrugged. “I thought you hated me.”
I softened against him and touched his face in wonder. “I never hated you, I just hated the circumstances we were in. Our mothers forced us together from the time we were born. We never had a choice in the matter and that made me frustrated. I guess I took it out on you. I’m sorry.”
“I’m equally guilty. I was pretty horrible to you at times.”
“Yes, like the time you pushed me in the ocean when we were five. Or when we were seven and you tricked me into sitting on those strawberries and ruined my dress. Or—”
He grimaced. “Okay, yes, I was quite awful. But I had to get your attention somehow.” He let out a low laugh. “Wow, I’d forgotten about the strawberries. No wonder you hated me.”
“I didn’t hate you. Well, maybe a little…”
He pulled me close and kissed me again, and every time it was like a revelation. I’d spent my entire life thinking Derel was my nemesis. Now I looked on him with a whole new light.