Page 45 of Magic & Secrets
Roque startled me by throwing back his head and roaring with laughter. His amusement acted like a wave of magic, wrapping around me until I could barely breathe.
His laughter died down, leaving him watching me with a tender gaze. Roque finished his stew and wiped his mouth in a careful way he plainly wasn’t accustomed to back on the mountain. He was putting on a show for me. If he weren’t so stubborn and I didn’t need to lie, we could admit what was happening here.
“The Ghouls are growing restless,” Roque said and glanced at the door. “When they attack, you will remain hidden upstairs.”
“I am a warrior.”
“You’re a youngling,” he grumbled dismissively. “You couldn’t even frighten away those tiny creatures in the forest.”
“I don’t need to frighten them when I can kill them. Dead is often better.”
“You will hide,” Roque demanded and slammed his fist against the table.
The plates quaked, and the pot nearly toppled over the edge. I leveled my gaze on Roque, preparing to lecture him on manners and my duty. I was not a youngling or in need of his protection.
Before I could speak, I considered my fears for his safety. Roque was one of the most fearsome creatures ever to roam the Territories. Von Ehlinger had been forced to tamper with ancient magic to create a new species simply to stand a chance against the Murade’s army of Bane Shifters.
Roquedid notneed my help, yet, I still feared for him because he was my mate.
So, of course, Roque could never view me as a real warrior, even if I had properly revealed my talents over the last few days. Despite his stubborn denials about our mate bond, he couldn’t reject his desire to protect me.
“I will go upstairs while you fight the enemy,” I murmured, soothing his anger. “You are a Bane Shifter. Those Varema Ghouls don’t stand a chance.”
Roque snarled at me, feeling as if I were tricking him. When I only offered a little smile, his expression softened, and he mimicked my gesture.
“I don’t believe we’re mates,” Roque said as he stood and sighed deeply. “But I can’t have you die on my watch. Knowing you’re securely tucked away upstairs will help me concentrate.”
“I understand. I will watch from the window and admire your skills.”
“Be warned. I won’t be wearing this blanket during battle. I know how distracted you become at the sight of my body.”
Rolling my eyes, I carried the bowls and pot to the kitchen. “I’ll avert my gaze to protect my sanity.”
Roque chuckled as he strutted toward the front door. “After I kill the Ghouls and their allies, we’ll start a fire. You can regale me with more tales of ancient beasts and your Elven training.”
I smiled at Roque as he opened the door. My heart wanted to follow him into battle. He was a superior warrior to his opponents, yet our mate bond left him vulnerable. Fighting with him made sense.
Instead, I did as he requested and went upstairs to oversee what should be a quick battle.
Roque
I HADN’T EXPECTED CALLAto obey me so easily. She viewed herself as a warrior meant to save the humans. The Ghouls killed the settlers. Therefore, she should kill the Ghouls. That was how her mind apparently worked.
I suffered no softness for the humans. They were perfectly capable of killing each other as well as magic folk. None of them ever shed tears over their dead enemies.
In fact, I doubted anyone back in the Shining Jewel cared about the lost humans here in this settlement. Humans were overly impulsive creatures, choosing to embrace haphazard plans while ignoring the gory consequences.
For me, the point of killing these Ghouls was simply to remove a threat to Calla’s safety. If I were here alone, they would be treated as mere gnats.
I stepped outside of the pub and tossed the blanket on the front chair. The air held a chill and the scent of rot.
My head grew fuzzy with thoughts of dinner with Calla. She smelled so good. Her hair shone in the pub’s golden light. The strands were messy from our wild day, yet the braids held strong. I found myself wondering if she would untie her hair before she rested tonight. I was very curious what her hair looked like loose and wild.
Shaking my head, I struggled to get my mind off the beautiful warrior. The hideous creatures peering out at me from the woodlands could barely distract me from who waited for my return to the pub.
The Ghouls skulked in the shadows. Their white skin stretched thin over wiry limbs. They moved in jerking, unnatural motions. Their faces were a twisted mockery of the human form, shriveled and skeletal, with deep sockets wrapped around shrunken black eyes. Their mouths were filled with jagged, uneven teeth. Black drool clung to their cracked lips. Long, clawed hands twitched with anticipation.
The creatures stepping out of the darkness weren’t alone. I spotted a dozen more creeping closer as the sun dropped below the horizon.
