Page 22 of Their Chosen

“That's okay. It may just be harder because you've never been in touch with your magic. That should change the longer you're here,” Arryn assured me. I took the excuse he offered, but I was still frustrated by my failure.

Baer spoke up, drawing my attention to him. “Do you mind if I try?”

“Umm...I guess that's okay.” I flicked my eyes to Arryn, unsure of how this would work, but quickly turned back toward Baer. I didn't need Arryn's approval. “Sure. Go ahead.”

We both turned toward each other on the bench, the others remaining quiet as they watched us. Baer held a hand up in front of me for a moment, and I could feel him prodding against the magic that surrounded me, even though he wasn’t making contact with my skin. Instead of the magic falling away, it seemed to only sink further into me, fleeing his touch. Baer's brow furrowed in concentration, and he closed his eyes. His second attempt was more forceful, and while my body reacted to the sensation, my glamor continued to evade him.

He dropped his hand. “I can't get it either.” He turned to Arryn and then Lennox as if for answers. “It's as if it's running away from me on purpose.”

“That can't be right,” Lennox grumbled, getting up from his chair and walking over to me. He stood next to me, towering over my seated form, and reached his hand out. This time as his magic touched mine, it withdrew completely and burrowed under my skin, snapping back like a rubber band.

I gasped at the stinging that accompanied the retreat of my magic. Arryn stood at the sound and grabbed Lennox's shoulder. Lennox growled and shrugged him off before turning to go back to his seat. “I've never felt a glamor like hers. It shouldn't have done that.”

I raised my eyes to Arryn questioningly, who shrugged in response to my unspoken question, then retook his seat. Before he could respond, Jameson entered with a cart of finger foods and drinks. He set them all out on the table before us, our silence continuing to thicken along with my questions.

“Will that be all, Sir?” Jameson asked the Commander.

“Yes, that will be all for now. I'll let you know if we need anything else,” he replied before reaching for a jug and pouring us all drinks, not waiting for a response.

I was handed a drink that was colored a translucent pink, and I sniffed it. It smelled fruity, but for the life of me, I couldn’t identify the scent. “What's this?” I asked no one in particular.

“It's my finest honey wine. Nothing less for the Chosen. Please enjoy,” the Commander replied. Hesitantly, I took a small sip and was pleasantly surprised at the fizz that bubbled on my tongue, followed by a burst of fruity flavors I still couldn't identify. I took a larger sip, enjoying the complicated flavors.

I sat my glass down and faced the others. “Why can't my glamor be removed?” Part of me was concerned, but another was relieved that I didn't have to face this hurdle just yet. I could be me for a little while longer.

“I'm not sure. However, I don't think it wise to try again until we know more. I'm sure Master Jude will have the answers on how to remove yours safely. Until then, we proceed like normal,” Arryn replied.

“Speaking of plans,” Lennox chimed in and turned to the Commander. “We'll need to be on our way as soon as possible.” The Commander nodded, but before he could reply, Lennox asked me, “Can you ride?”

“You mean like a horse?”

“Obviously, I mean a horse. Can you ride?”

“I'm from Texas. Of course I can ride a horse,” I snarked back at his impatient tone.

“Whatever that means.” He turned back to the Commander. “We'll need another horse for the Chosen to ride.”

“Of course. I'll get on that right away.” The Commander stood and exited the room, leaving us alone to enjoy his refreshments.

Lennox was quiet in thought before he looked at Arryn. “Let's get our men together. We'll ride out as soon as the horses are ready. I want to be back at the Capital by tomorrow morning.”

“Are you sure?” Arryn questioned, and then his gaze flicked to me.

“She can keep up, can't you, Princess?” Lennox goaded me.

I gritted my teeth. “Don't worry about me, Arryn. I'll be fine,” I said while glaring at Lennox, but then I turned to Arryn and forced a smile on my face.

“If you insist,” he replied, but he still seemed unsure. Instead of questioning further, he stood to go follow his orders. “I'll also make sure the Commander is aware that Baer will be returning with us.” At Lennox's nod, he also left.

If I thought things were awkward before, then I was proven wrong as I sat in silence with Baer and Lennox, who both continued to eat and drink. I was too nervous to eat, so I took another drink instead. Once the wine hit my tongue, I decided I needed all the courage I could get and drained the rest of my glass.

Baer laughed. “Easy, Killer. That drink is a lot more potent than any human beverage. I'd take it easy if I were you.”

“Noted,” I stated, setting my glass on the table. The silence stretched on as we waited, and my hands started to get clammy, so I rubbed them both on my thighs. After what felt like an hour but couldn't have been more than fifteen or twenty minutes of awkward silence, Arryn entered the room. I took a deep breath at his entrance and realized I’d missed his steady presence with me.

“The men and horses are ready, Sir.” Lennox stood, and Baer followed suit. Both looked down on me, and I slowly stood as well.

“Well, Princess, let's get a move on. After all, the sooner we reach the Capital, the sooner you can return home.”

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