Everlasting - Iris Johansen [51]
Kira crossed to her at once and stood on tiptoe to plant a kiss on her broad jaw. “It would make me feel a good deal better if you'd wish me well.”
“Why should I wish you well when you're doing a chitka thing like—” She broke off, a multitude of conflicting emotions crossing her face. “Good journey,” she said gruffly. “Better than you deserve.” She enfolded Kira in a breathtaking bear hug. “And if Stefan causes you problems, I will make a spell that will cause his nudocs to rot and fall off. I'm very weary of his stupidity.” She released Kira and gave her a gentle whack on the derriere. “Go.”
Kira's eyes were misty as she covered the few yards to where Zack was standing by the helicopter. Perry Bentley had left the clearing and Paulo had taken a few steps back to allow them a limited amount of privacy.
“I'd be interested in knowing if those nudocs that are about to be cursed are what I think they are,” Zack murmured as he opened the door of the helicopter.
“To put it delicately, nudocs are a gentleman's private parts,” Kira said with a grin.
Zack flinched. “Hm-m. So I thought. I'll be very careful not to risk incurring that particular curse.” His gaze was suddenly grave. “Are you going to tell me what your plans are?”
“I'm just going to talk to Stefan. I'll land the helicopter in the clearing in the woods across from the main gate and go through the cave and the secret tunnel into the palace itself.” She shrugged. “I could just march in through the front gate, but I'd prefer to take him off guard. It's likely that I'm going to need every advantage I can manage. When I succeed in bringing Stefan around to my way of thinking, I'll contact you by radio.”
“When, not if?” Zack asked with a slight smile. “You're very confident.”
She drew a quivering breath. “I can't let myself be anything else. Otherwise, I'd be shaking like a bowl full of jelly.”
“I don't think so. I'd bet your brother Lance would say his little sister had definitely ‘set.’ ” He suddenly crushed her in his arms and kissed her with a hard, bruising passion that robbed her of breath and made her head whirl. He lifted his head and glared down at her fiercely. “Be careful, dammit. And stay away from Karpathan!”
“I will,” she promised a little dazedly.
Then he lifted her into the helicopter and closed the door behind her. She watched him step back beside Paulo as she turned on the ignition. Zack looked strong and powerful and able to take on the world, and, for an instant, she was almost tempted to let him come with her. It would be very comforting to lean on his strength. Oh, Lord, she was doing it again. It was clearly going to take practice to get her thinking into the right groove; she wouldn't lean on anyone. Not anymore. She waved and lifted off. Soon the figures in the clearing had vanished from view and only the light of the lantern Marna was holding remained visible. Then, as she turned south, the light, too, disappeared.
“I didn't think you would let her go,” Paulo said with a sidewise glance at Zack's tense, set face. “Until the very last minute I thought you'd change your mind and either make her stay or go with her.”
“A time to set free.” Zack's eyes were still on the horizon where the lights from the helicopter had just vanished. “It was time to set her free to be her own person.”
Paulo nodded slowly. “It was a wise move. Now she'll return to you and be your person as well.”
“Dear Lord, I hope so.” Zack suddenly realized his hands were clenched. He carefully relaxed them. He needed patience and control now more than at any time in his life, and he had to concentrate on gathering those forces to him. It had nearly ripped him apart to stand and watch her take off in the helicopter. She had looked so damned alone. “Let's go back to the saldana. I told Perry to contact my men in Belajo by radio to be on the lookout for her. I want to see if they've heard any more from the palace.” He glanced around. “Where's Marna?”
Paulo shrugged as he fell