Page 104 of Degradation

“Eloise trusted you. That’s enough for me. I have no wish to hurt anyone, especially not those who’ve helped my sister. Come, join us for dinner.” As I spoke, I removed the shield from around my princes and father.

“Kellen Cartwright, if you ever do that again…” Edmund shouted.

“Excuse me,” I said, turning quickly to intercept Edmund. However, it wasn’t only Edmund storming my way. All seven of them were flushed with anger—even sweet Eadric.

I promptly and quite beautifully burst into tears and wailed, “Why are you yelling at me?”

Behind them, Father shook his head and smiled slightly.

Eloise might be the twin known for her theatrics to avoid punishment, but I was no novice myself.

All of their anger dissipated as they closed the distance between us. Edmund, who’d been in the lead, fell behind, unsure how to deal with my tears. Eadric and Daemon pulled ahead, but it was Brandle who wrapped me in a comforting hug.

“Hush, now. All is well. We apologize for yelling, don’t we, Edmund?”

“Only moderately,” Edmund said under his breath.

Someone cuffed him.

I hiccuped delicately and wiped my eyes as I looked up at Brandle. “If we are equals, each with our own strengths, is it not my duty to protect you when magic is involved and yours to protect me when strength is involved?”

“Kellen, you cannot risk yourself. Please,” Brandle said gently. “Without you, what reason do we have to continue?”

“Am I to be your world but not allow you to be mine?” I asked.

Rose chuckled behind me, drawing his attention.

“This is Rose,” I said, stepping back to make the introduction. “She is the caster Eloise sent to find me.” I looked at my father, who’d slowly joined us. “Eloise is safe, and Maeve is gone. It’s well past time for us to return home.”

* * *

Despite Edmund’swarning that he meant to have me that night, I slept undisturbed in his arms, with the exception of Eadric’s palm on my breast all night.

Rose traveled with us through the trees, interested in seeing the road I was creating. When she did, she studied it and then me.

“I have yet to meet a caster so close to being my equal,” Rose said. “I think I would like to accompany you to Drisdall.”

I glanced at the woman who had changed from an older woman with unkempt, long grey hair and threadbare clothing that begged to be burned to a woman close to my mother’s age with long, dark hair, a kind gaze, and a beautiful dress. The pig on the end of her lead, who had the energy of a human, remained unchanged.

“Who are you truly, Rose? A friend or a cruel caster?”

Her brows rose. “A friend, I would hope. Why do you believe me to be cruel?”

“I believe you changed his form as easily as you changed yours. Did he agree to be a pig?”

She laughed. “He chose his form with his actions. His greed for more saw him fed while others starved. He used his position to coerce sexual favor in return for food and went so far as to attempt to rape an innocent girl your age.”

The pig let out a mournful squeal and promptly dropped to the ground.

“Rather than send him to the mines to die attempting labors he had no chance of surviving, I thought to reform him.”

Eadric sniggered at her wit.

“I vow he has not been mistreated. In fact, your sister not only cared for him but helped him recover a shred of his humanity. As I said before, he’s less of a pig than he was. However, he still has a long way to go.” She met my gaze. “You are welcome to look if you’d like.”

My other sense whispered she was safe. That I could touch her well and would find the truth.

“Have you, perchance, also changed a man into a beast?”

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