Page 35 of Dragon Sword

I folded my arms over my chest and wrinkled my nose. “Yeah. It just felt like there was something there that didn’t like me.”

“The stones were erected to protect the forest from the shadows of old,” he mused as we trudged through the forest following the curvature of the vali. “Perhaps they’ve built up too much dark magic to hold back whatever we’re fighting.”

“So you weren’t around to help that first king, right?” I asked him.

He grinned. “I am old but not that old.”

I snorted. “Finally something to make you feel young, but what was it that old king fought against that he lost his life?”

“The stories never say and there’s none alive who remember,” Will told me as he looked me over. “I’m guessing our suspicions are aligned.”

“That maybe what attacked them is coming back?” I guessed.

“Just so.”

I nodded. “Then we’re thinking the same thing only this time we don’t have a really powerful elf king to stop it.” I paused and looked up at Will. “CouldKing Arvo stop it?”

Will pursed his lips as he stared ahead. “I very much doubt it. He’s held the throne for only five centuries and has never had to deal with trouble. His recent ancestors, too, have not honed their magic on any danger since the eagles attacked.”

My shoulders slumped. “So there’s nobody to fight it if it does come back.”

He smiled at me. “Are you forgetting someone?”

I shot him a glare. “No!”

Will was taken aback by my sharp reply. “Why? Do you doubt I can handle the fiend?”

I shook my head. “It’s not that at all. You could probably beat almost anything in this world.”

“But?”

I bowed my head and bit my lower lip. “The elf king died defeating it. . .”

“And you believe the same would happen to me?” he wondered.

I shrugged. “I don’t know but I don’t want to find out.”

He brushed his nose against my forehead and chuckled. “Have some faith, my mate. Besides, there is something which the old king did not have.”

I lifted my eyes to him and blinked. “What?”

He pecked a light kiss on my lips. “You by his side.”

I snorted and swatted his chest with one hand. “Weren’t you the one just scolding me for not getting my sword out?”

Will didn’t meet my gaze as he chose his words carefully. “That may have been the reason for the scolding.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Then what were you doing in front of-” I stopped as realization struck me. A wicked smile slipped onto my lips before a laugh poured out. “You! You were jealous of him saving me, weren’t you?”

“That may be the answer,” was the evasive reply.

I prodded his chest with my finger. “Come on, confess. It’ll be good to get it off your chest.”

“My chest is not burdened by anything, I assure you.”

I leaned in close to him with my eyes twinkling. “Then do you really think I can help?”

He readjusted my weight and nodded at the way ahead of us. “I have no doubt we’ll find out soon enough.”

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