Kemp Read online

  Kemp

  Book two of the Champion Series

  Francheska Fifield

  Copyright © 2017 Francheska Fifield

  Cover Art by M.B. Martin

  Editorial Work by Corey Brooks

  Dedicated to my family that puts up with me while I walk around, muttering like a lunatic about pretend people…. Oh, and awesome dragons.

  Contents

  Prologue4

  Chapter One8

  Chapter Two23

  Chapter Three35

  Chapter Four46

  Chapter Five64

  Chapter Six73

  Chapter Seven80

  Chapter Eight89

  Chapter Nine103

  Chapter Ten116

  Chapter Eleven127

  Chapter Twelve140

  Chapter Thirteen151

  Chapter Fourteen162

  Chapter Fifteen173

  Chapter Sixteen186

  Chapter Seventeen195

  Epilogue202

  Prologue

  Elainne

  I run towards the fire, knowing that if Viktor wakes he will warn me away. He has been accidently starting fires since we came home from the cavern. I have not been able to help him learn much more than the words to the spells, leaving him unable to control his powers. He knows the spells but he doesn’t know how to use them properly.

  On the plus side, Viktor has shown amazing progress in Elvin healing powers, but then again, his family is well known for that power. I can train him in that. His battle magic, the fire and tornadoes, the hail, it is his Elvin magic working with his mage magic. I can’t help with that.

  We keep the fires contained and outside, away from people, where I can easily put them out. So far. It seems our luck has run out. Likely, after this, I won’t be able to use my room either; this is one hell of a fire. Aunt got him a room next to mine, as befitting a Kemp. Now that room is on fire, burning down around him while he sleeps.

  “Viktor!”

  I get singed and flinch. My arm is so hot that it is cold in minutes; I know that is a bad sign but I don’t let it stop me. I can feel my panic rising and worry about what will happen if it consumes me before I accomplish my task. What if I can’t get him out before he burns to death? How will it feel to lose him? Well, it is obvious, I guess. I am in here choosing to chance losing an arm over losing Viktor.

  “Elainne!”

  I sigh; slightly relieved he is a Kemp. My panic can wake him from anything.

  “Elainne, where are you?!”

  “Here! Viktor!”

  He comes rushing over and grabs me into his arms, running towards the door. I could have run by myself, it is after all my arm - not my legs - that are injured. It wil make him feel better to have me near though.

  Burning wood is everywhere. There is not even any fabric in the room. It is all ash by now. Luckily, the castle won’t burn down, there is enough stone to stop it from spreading too far before being put out, but this room won’t be habitable for a long time.

  A beam from the ceiling falls into our path. I reach out my arm that is not burnt and let my power flow from me. I can’t stop the fire because I haven’t mastered my new power levels, and I don’t want to blow the house down around me by accident. I do manage to make it go down enough that we can get through safely though.

  Once out of the room, my aunt, and servants with water, come running into the hallway. She swipes a hand and the fire goes out. Luckily, aunt has full control of her powers.

  So far, the other fires have been safely away from other people and very small, while we practice outside, but most importantly, where she didn’t known about them. This time he burnt down a room in her palace.

  “What the hell happened in there?!”

  It is not a question but a command. My arm loese feeling and I rub below the burn, trying to get blood flow to it again. I can’t heal myself so I will be in a lot of pain for a bit.

  “Niece, your arm!”

  I nod towards my aunt but Viktor is already grabbing it and trying to heal. He must still be caught up in the nightmare he was having - that started the fire - because flame shoots out and I drop screaming in pain.

  He is grabbed and pulled away from me. He lets them do so without struggle. His face is ashen gray and I know what he is thinking. That in the cavern he’d been the one to kill me, using fire. He didn’t want to learn to use fire, but as the most destructive element, I insisted he learn to control it. Because he fears it, he is not mastering it. You have to respect the elements, but if you fear them, they’ll controll you.

  My aunt whispers a healing spell and I feel her power pour through me as my arm begins to heal. Soon it is nothing more than pink marks that she has someone smear an ointment on and bandage up. I swallow, trying to hide my relief so as not to appear weak. It is hard to hide, considering I am relieved that I won’t lose an arm.

  “Let my Kemp go.”

  They must hear the steel in my voice because they do as I ask and drop his arms. He drops to his knees, staring into a hell only he can see. I sigh and kneel in front of him, snapping my fingers. My aunt sends everyone away and soon it is just the three of us in the hallway. Snapping is not working so I slap him. That does get his attention. He grabs my wrist but doesn’t squeeze, doesn’t hurt me at all. A Kemp always knows his charges touch, even in the deepest of hazes.

  “Viktor, what did you dream about?”

  He flinches as if I slapped him again, and I sigh, hugging him tight.

  “It wasn’t real, Viktor. What you saw in there wasn’t real. You are here to protect me, everything will be fine.”

  It has been touch and go for a while. My father threw us in the jail until the mermen hadn’t waited for us to take the fight to them. They went for the Elvin bases before Madeline and Mason could get back. Having full access to our powers made us battle worthy. Our freedom for our help. We agreed.

  Viktor protected me as much as I allowed, but when I had been struck by a merman’s blade, he drew upon our connection to release a fire that burned with the power of both our magic. I’d been healed, but he saw the fire, saw me injured, and can’t think of anything but the cavern and his vision. It is like this every time we practice with that element. He can’t learn because of his fear.

  “I burned you.”

  “You were still in the thrall of the dream.”

  He doesn’t hug me back but he doesn’t stop me from hugging him either. He needs the reassurance, even if he doesn’t want it.

  “How long has he been starting fires, niece?”

  I sigh and look at my aunt; I stand, letting Viktor follow or stay sitting. Always his choice.

  “The cavern wasn’t kind. Viktor fears the fire, and when I try to train him in the other elements he does fine, he’s even excelling at healing, but his fear of the fire…”

  “So it controls him, not the other way around.”

  I nod. Lying to my aunt is never a good idea. She always finds out.

  “He needs to control his battle magic. I think because the two are combined in him and I can only teach the Elvin half…”

  “He isn’t learning what he needs to control everything. He needs a mage teacher.”

  As my aunt finishes, I nod. If she banishes Viktor - and she might, he is a danger to everyone until he learns control - I will go as well. It will leave her without an heir again; I hope it won’t come to that.

  “He needs to be taught. Your uncle wants to know what we should do about allies. I think the mages might be the answer to both of our problems.”

  That is how we find ourselves walking from my aunt’s kingdom to where the mage’s are rumored to live. It has only been two months since the battle against the mermen and already we are on another epic journey. I sigh, the thin
gs I do for this kingdom.

  Chapter One

  Viktor

  She wraps her arms around me, kissing and pressing as close as two bodies can get with clothes on. She moans as my tongue enters her mouth and my arms wrap around her. She pushes me over, lying on top of me. We are fully clothed but I know what we are doing is still wrong. I am her guard, her champion, her Kemp. My job is to keep her safe, not to make out with her on a picnic blanket.

  “We shouldn’t be doing this.”

  I say the words, but my hand is running through her hair while the other rests on her small, tight bottom. She smiles that saucy, sassy smile that she always gets when we are going to argue, but not a real argument, only the ones she knows she is going to win.

  “If you tell me to go away, I will.”

  I roll so I am on top of her and look down my face, nothing but serious.

  “Never.”

  Her smile turns soft and shy; she lifts her head to kiss me once again.

  Elainne

  “Viktor. Viktor, wake up.”

  I have been shaking Viktor for the past fifteen minutes while he moans in his sleep. I am not sure what he is dreaming about, all I can tell is that it is provoking strong feelings in him. I, for once, wish we could still sense everything about each other’s emotions. Then again, he could be dreaming about a girl and in that case, I don’t want to know. Still, if it is a nightmare, I don’t want him asleep long. He could start another fire, and all we need is for him to burn down the kingdom.

  A couple of weeks ago, when he burnt a palace room down, my aunt skillfully suggested that we travel to the mages to get Viktor tested and taught. We have been traveling since, walking, because aunt is not risking her horses if the mages don’t give us a good welcome.

  Normally we wouldn’t have been able to go, especially alone, but uncle demanded proof that I am a worthy successor, as if saving the kingdom from Marina hadn’t proven a thing. We burned her and her entourage, literally. Sending the ones left alive back as a warning that if they messed with the humans or the Elves ever again, they would mess with both, and it would end even worse for them than that battle.

  Unfortunately, as we hadn’t gotten the orb, my father had broke all contact with the humans, except in cases of dealing with the merpeople. So now, we need allies and Viktor needs to learn to control his power.

  “What are you, sleeping beauty? Viktor, wake up!”

  He shoots awake and grabs me, staring into my eyes. He looks lost and wild for a few moments, before he looks around and realizes where we are.

  “Is something wrong?”

  I shake my head. “You were moaning in your sleep loud enough to wake me. Are you all right? Was it a nightmare? I thought the spell would take care of any bad dreams you still had.”

  After leaving the cave of visions, Viktor began having nightmares and couldn’t sleep each night unless I spelled him. I don’t spell him into a deep sleep or anything; I just do an Elvin spell that parents use on their children. It keeps bad dreams away, so you will have good ones or none at all. It worked every time but for the one nightmare that caused us to go on this journey.

  “It wasn’t a nightmare… just weird.”

  Well, that sounds like he dreamed up a barmaid. “Never mind, I don’t think I want to know. I’ll just assume that next time you are enjoying what or who you see in your dreams.”

  I am glad it is dark so he can’t see my blushing face and that he can’t sense my total embarrassment. I try to hide the jealousy and resentment. I am not sure if he will sense those, and if he can’t, I don’t want him to know about them. He is my Kemp, not my boyfriend.

  “Elainne, don’t be upset. I would tell you but I think you would feel uncomfortable.”

  Viktor has taken to sharing everything with me, even that which our emotional sensors don’t pick up. In fact, he tries to hide what upsets him more than any other emotion, even though I can feel him panic, get upset, or unsettled. The fact that he is lying, or withholding the truth, means it unsettles him but that it is not linked to my safety. Which means it is personal. He shares more personal things with me than anyone living, but there are still parts of his life I am not allowed to be a part of.

  The months back at the castle after the battle had been tough. Aunt recognized what Viktor was right away and gave him the human version of the ceremony. Uncle refused to let Viktor near me because he thought our relationship to be too familiar, and Viktor refused to let the guards that abandoned me for Marina anywhere near me. Now I have only him, Madeline keeps Mason with her most times upon my insistence, which I have done because I can tell they are smitten.

  “You’re smiling.”

  Viktor always states the obvious as if daring me to try to slip a lie by him.

  “I was thinking about Mason and Madeline. They are sweet on each other.”

  “It’s easy for them. Both are nobles and they both like each other. It’s acceptable.”

  I sit up and wrap my blanket around me for warmth. It doesn’t seem like we will get back to sleep anytime soon.

  “Is being my Kemp stopping you from being with someone, Viktor?”

  “No!”

  He says it in an almost panic and I smile, secretly glad. I am not ready to have to share Viktor. I am not sure I will ever be ready to do so. I am not sure if our Kemp bond is weird. Since we are not full blooded Elves. Or what, but I’ve never heard of a charge feeling so strongly for his or her Kemp. Go figure. I would be the freak.

  Viktor

  I don’t like how fast or intense my ‘no’ came out. She likely thinks me insane, but she is still smiling and doesn’t look at me as if I am being completely inappropriate. Which is strange, for I have been nothing but inappropriate since meeting her. She seems to enjoy my frankness though. Likely because she can’t expect it in the others around her.

  She comes closer and leans against me. She often finds comfort in being close to me, though I am not sure why. I know her presence comforts me but I also know the Kemp bond makes me uncomfortable if away from her, so I assume it is because I only know she is safe when she is near. She doesn’t have that excuse.

  I look down at her arm and, though she wears a long sleeve, I can sense the bandage and hurt underneath. The pain doesn’t bother her anymore; our bond allows me to know that much, at least. Her aunt’s healing helped and the new skin is toughening up.

  “Viktor let it go, it was an accident and the spell for dreams is holding since I strengthened it. I should have done it sooner but I didn’t think it would manifest that strongly while you slept. It’s my fault for not taking better care of you.”

  I put an arm around her shoulders and hug her close, not touching where I know the bandage to be.

  “It’s my job to protect you.”

  “And mine to care for you. We are a team now. You heard my father, and read all about this while there, this isn’t one sided. We protect and care for each other.”

  “What I did with our power to the merpeople…”

  She reaches up and put a finger on my mouth. Her skin is soft, her touch gentle.

  “You did what you had to, to protect me. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. I would have done the same, had you been injured. Only none of them would have been left alive when I was done.”

  I look down to see if she is being serious or just trying to placate me. Her eyes hold honesty and I know she is entirely serious. I smile and grab my blanket, wrapping it around both of us. It is nearly morning and we will be heading out soon. Might as well stay awake now. Besides, I am not sure if I can have many more of those dreams without berating myself into total shame.

  She is seventeen now, her aunt and uncle are looking for suitors as she is now of an age acceptable to be married. However, she is my charge, not my fiancée, and no one should have those dreams about anyone but a sweetheart.

  I sigh and vow that - no matter what - I will keep her safe. That is my purpose and I won’t fail, no matter what I hav
e to do or sacrifice.

  Elainne

  When morning fully breaks, we pack up and head out. I am annoyed with Viktor as soon as we head out again, he has argued about me carrying a pack every day since starting, and continues to do so each morning. I insist I at least carry my own things, he insists everything go into his pack. I finally pointed out how hard it would be to protect me and fight for our lives if it come down to it.

  He doesn’t like being forced to choose between my comfort and my protection, but like any good Kemp, protection wins. Therefore, I carry my own clothes and the food. He carries a ton of water-filled canteens, extra weapons spread about his person, and the blankets we use. He found a way to have all the heavy bulky things in his pack without impeding his ability to protect me. Still, he complains each morning that I carry anything at all. Stubborn male.

  “How much farther, do you think?”

  I sigh and look around. We are still in aunt’s kingdom, but only just.

  “Not long before we enter no man’s land. I have no idea how long before we reach them.”

  “We should rest up before we get there.”

  He means no man’s land. Neutral territory belongs to no one and is filled with thieves, mercenaries, and all manner of thugs. Even worse, it is home to mountain lions, bears, and wild boars that can gore a man easily. We won’t sleep well.

  “I will take turns watching. I have been practicing defensive magic, father sent me home with all manner of magic tomes. Likely hoping it would make me want to go back, where I can get a teacher and learn everything much faster than if I am training by myself. Anyway, I can put up perimeter spells and defensive magic.”

  “You will sleep. I will keep watch.”

  I sigh. I am knocking him unconscious if I have to. Will it count as negative spell casting if I am doing it for his own good? I could just use a tree branch or something, and skip the magical side effects.