Page 28 of The Lost Guard's Healer

Tarin’s gaze and his tone remain cool. “I was simply saying there is nothing wrong with training and discipline. You wouldn’t understand that, though. Because you know so much already.”

Bohan’s eyes flash with murder. He unslings the bow and quiver of arrows and strides toward Tarin. “I said that’s enough! I will show you who the stronger fighter is.”

I tense and back away, not wanting to be near the ensuing fight.

Bohan shoves Tarin in the chest, but Tarin moves like a flash of lightning and suddenly Bohan’s hand is twisted and he has dropped to a knee. Tarin stands there calmly with Bohan’s bent wrist in his hand. I can see Bohan wants to break free, but the hold looks to be too strong.

“That’s enough!” I yell.

Tarin remains there for a second longer before releasing his hold. Bohan pants heavily and rubs his sore wrist as he stands and backs away, his blazing eyes locked on Tarin. I’ve never seen someone so easily overpower a big man like Bohan before. I have a feeling that Tarin could have easily broken his wrist if he’d wanted to.

Freddick blows out a breath. “That was a really cool move. Can you teach me that?”

“Perhaps another time,” Tarin says with a slight grin.

We continue toward the foothills of the mountain.

Along the way, we check the rabbit traps hunters had set up across the area. Every now and then, the hunters take us off course to check a metal box hidden in the underbrush.

Zayne and Wills explain to Tarin that the small cages contain kimisol flowers within. The violet petals emit an aroma that helps people sleep and dulls their senses, and is also used to help injured people recover faster. We place the kimisol petals in the cages to entice small critters like rabbits and foxes, and when they enter, the cage door drops and traps them inside. They peacefully fall asleep until we come and take them. We pick out a few rabbits from the cages as we go, and place them in a sack.

“The smell is familiar,” Tarin says to me. “Do you put some in tea?”

“In the tea I made for you,” I nod. “The one you refused on account of it being poisoned.”

“The one you threw across the tent,” he pushes back. But then his voice softens. “My fault for not trusting you.”

That almost sounds like an apology. I turn away from him and no longer pay him attention. But I do eventually find myself gazing over at him. I note how toned his arms are, which speaks of years of training. And how plump and pouty his lips are. I have to admit how impressed I am at the keen intelligence in his eyes as he studies the surrounding land. I’m beginning to see there is more to this Oathlander than I realized.

After some time, I see Tarin has fallen behind with Freddick. I listen to their talk without looking back.

“How are you holding up?” Tarin asks.

Freddick doesn’t give a response.

“I know this isn’t an easy time for you.” Tarin’s voice is filled with surprising warmth and compassion. “Losing a father is never easy. I want you to know that it’s okay to mourn. To feel bad. It’s okay to do whatever you want. There’s no right or wrong way to grieve.”

Freddick sniffs. “I don’t know what to do without him. He did everything for me. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him.”

“When my father passed,” Tarin says, his strained voice showing great depths, “I lost myself in the bottle. I lost sight of myself completely for a while. My brother tried to get me back, but in the end, only I could help myself. I realized I should make my father proud and work to become the best man I could be. For him.”

“When does it get easier?” Freddick asks, sounding like he’s close to tears.

“That’s different for everyone,” Tarin says. “In some ways, the pain is always with you. But you learn to live with it.” He claps Freddick on the shoulder. “You will get through this. I can see there is a great warrior inside you.”

I glance back to see Freddick giving him a confused look.

Tarin points at Freddick. “It’s in your eyes. I’ve seen it before. That warrior inside. Trust me.”

That seems to cheer Freddick up and he walks with his shoulders higher. I watch Tarin for a moment, wondering what kind of a man he really is. That was a nice thing he’d done for Freddick. I hate how it shows some goodness in his heart. Unless he has an ulterior motive for acting so nice.

He is a man full of surprises.

We eventually reach the rocky foothills of the Shadowstand Mountains, the peaks of which loom over us and block out the sun. We won’t have to climb high up the mountain as the wild boars are known to stay low within the winding paths of the foothills. They feed off the rich weeds and shrubs growing between the rocks.

Bohan and the others hear something that I don’t, and he directs us up a pathway. We enter a passage filled with trees and come out to an open glade surrounded by jagged rock.

Something enormous crashes through the tree line above the jagged rock and comes hurtling down toward us. A massive boar lands and roars at us. But this is no ordinary boar, this one is three times bigger than any I’ve ever seen, and it appears to be highly enraged. My muscles soften like jelly at the sight of the powerful beast.

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