Page 22 of Destined to Fight

“You’re most welcome, madam.”

She wasn’t sure why, but Kelly instantly loved this man. He was of average height, appearing to be around sixty years old. His deep-green eyes held years of knowledge in them, and she was positive he’d never had a bad day in all of his years.

A voice came over the speakers. “This is the captain speaking,. We’ve been cleared for departure. Please secure all doors for takeoff.”

Brodric bowed at Kelly and quickly turned to head to the front of the plane. She heard the door closing and the lock clicking as it was secured. Brodric then made his way to a seat nestled in the kitchen area and buckled himself in.

Kelly looked around at the rest of the men sitting on the plane. None of them seemed to care at all about their seatbelts or their safety. They were all calm and collected.

The plane began to move, and Kelly let out a squeak, grabbing the arms of her chair.

Smooth move, her inner voice judged her yet again. You’re real tough now.

Inwardly, she told it to be quiet. She had everything under control.

“Ye all right, lass?” Kade asked.

“Just peachy,” she replied, curtly.

He just looked at her, questioning.

“If you must know, I haven’t flown since I was about five, so this is all a bit foreign to me. You have to be one of about five people in the world who can afford this plane, which supports the drug lord theory.” Her grip tightened on the armrests as she spoke, her knuckles becoming white.

Kade knelt beside her, taking her hand. “Ye have nothing to fear. We have some of the best pilots in the world, and one of the best aircraft money can buy. And to top it off, I am nae a drug lord. Yer safe.”

“I’m not scared, Kade. But it’s a lot to take in.”

He raised his hands, gesturing that he meant no offense. “Well, make yerself at home. It’s a little over a twelve-hour flight.”

“Don’t mind if I do.” She smiled at him, thinking of the bed in the back of the plane.

After they took off, Kelly made her way back to the bedroom area, pulled the covers back, kicked off her shoes, and lay down on what was possibly the most comfortable bed in the world. It was soft and hugged her body in just the right way.

With twelve hours to waste, Kelly didn’t even try to fight against sleep. When she woke, she would put all of these men on the spot and get a game plan together. She would not rush into this new world blindly, but she wasn’t about to let men fight her battles, either.

Kade

Soon after they reached cruising altitude, Kelly disappeared to the back of the plane without a word. He’d gone back to check on her and found her sound asleep on the bed. Pulling the covers over her, he resisted the urge to kiss her cheek, instead going back to Fabian and Asmund so they could plan and problem solve.

He sat in the chair Kelly had occupied, facing Fabian.

He sighed, feeling as exhausted as Kelly seemed. He’d been running businesses for decades, and the past six months had been inundated with Council business. He stayed physically fit, but had not tapped into his combat or tactical skills in almost eighty years, and that had been for a human war. Arcane disagreements were so much more complicated than human wars.

“Do ye have any thoughts for a game plan?”

Fabian stared off into the distance for a moment, deep in thought. “She needs a mentor—now. That cannot wait. She also needs to learn how to fight. You and I can try to protect her, but she is too independent to hide from her troubles. Eventually, she is going to show her face, and she needs to know how to protect herself.”

“Aye, that can be arranged. But even then, we have likely another twenty years before she is bonded,” Kade said, thinking out loud.

“I think you underestimate her potential. We can train her in combat. Between us and a mentor, we can prepare her just as well or better than any young mage. Do not approach the Council about her until she is ready for her bonding.”

“I trust ye, Fabian, but we will be breaking a number of laws here,” Kade said, concerned.

“Yes, we will. It will all work out; I am certain of that. You will need to let go of your business side and embrace the fighter you once were if you are to help her.”

“Yer so damn cryptic, man. Jesus.”

Fabian shrugged at him. “You are familiar with my abilities; they do not offer me more than what I have shared. Find her a mentor and get her to your home safely. We will build a plan from there.”

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