Page 11 of The Anointed's Paladin

“We are speaking of hundreds of souls, yours included.”

Silence again. I could feel my cheeks heating, my blood starting to boil.

“So, if I don’t take this on and succeed, I will die,” I said bitterly.

“Correct. It makes you the best choice for this task.” He turned, looking out the window again.

Ah. Of course. For a moment, I had dared to believe that I had done something to earn being chosen over Lydes’ own knights, my righteousness or zealousness setting me apart from others. I swallowed back my bitterness.

“I don’t really have a choice, then, do I?” I had been so close tofinding peace.

“This journey will take you south,” said Lydes, ignoring my question. “The first challenge will be to pass through the Witherwood, to the shore of Eldovale. From there, cross the Echoing Narrows, to the nameless isle beyond. At the centre of that isle, you will find a tower with the fateweaver. Slay any opposing champion you find and protect the relic. When you are there, cut your palm over my mark to allow me passage into the room, and I will ensure it is secured. Do not delay.”

With that, the floor fell out from under me, and I woke up suddenly, heart pounding. I was still in the small brown room in the boarding house, lying on the straw bed.

For a moment, relief flooded me. A terrible dream, but a dream, nonetheless. Probably just my brain trying to wrestle with the guilt I felt about my oath.

But that relief vanished as I glanced down at my hand and saw the golden eyes glittering at me from my palm. I froze, staring at the eyes as they stared back at me, and swallowed back my disappointment. The marks made it undeniable; they were proof I hadn’t just been dreaming. Proof my second chance came with a catch.

6

If you’ll be mine…

Kaine

As the wagon swayed beneath me, I kept up my smile while the woman beside me chatted happily. I nodded and laughed as she said something, wondering how she didn’t hear how fake it was. Three hundred years, and the first person I had to travel with was the most boring person in the world?

Figured.

Thank goodness it was the dead of night and we could barely see each other’s faces. We went over a large bump, andfinally, I heard the loud crack I’d been waiting for. The woman pulled the reins, stopping the wagon, and frowned. I couldn’t remember her name. Alfa? She had met two important criteria—she’d had a wagon and responded to my flirting.

So, of course, I had sabotaged the screws holding the wheel together before we left. She grabbed the dim lamp hooked on the front of the wagon and hopped down.

“Oh, no.” She groaned, crouching down to inspect the damage. “This is going to be a pain.”

I leaned over the side, arm dangling down as I examined the scene. It was an easy fix—and I’d even grabbed some extra screws in case we lost one—but would need two people.

“What’s the matter?” I asked.

She glanced up at me, eyes crinkling as she smiled. “Busted wheel. Hey, it’s lucky I have you here with me, after all. Would you mind hopping down here and helping?”

Step one in a bond with a maoferni: The Ask for Help. Her question sparked magic in the air, a metallic buzz on my tongue. I smiled. The next part was a very delicate response, one that I had perfected asking over the years.

“That depends. Will you be mine after?” I asked, keeping my voice light, my eyes meeting hers. She laughed, thinking it was a flirtatious joke. It didn't matter how she perceived it as long as the words were spoken. It was step two: The Terms: Will you be mine?

“Are you proposing to me or just want to fuck?” She said. I waggled my eyebrows, letting her come to her own conclusions.

“Sure. I think that’s a fair deal.” She said, completing the third part of the bond: The Agreement.

I jumped down to join her. I helped lift the wagon while she fixed the wheel and with my end of the bargain complete, she was mine. It’d been so long since I truly had mastery over someone.

“That’s a relief. I thought I might have to kill you, but I really don’t think a body would do well to hide my tracks.” I said.

She hesitated, the smile still half on her face as her eyes searched mine.

“What’s that?” She gave a nervous chuckle.

“Oh. Well see, I don’t have to kill you now. I can just compel you to forget everything that happens tonight.”

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