Page 11 of Feral Guardian
Lily sighs wistfully. “I did a decent job on my own, I think.”
Good.
Ihope she combined Eyzanth’s inverted luck, Gaien’s inverted harmony, and Yegress’s inverted health with the sub-runic delineation for the stomach. That’s not a very kind thought to have, but spontaneous diarrhea farts would be appropriate retribution for my princess.
“The girl’s family name,” I demand.
I want to confront her parents when they come to court.
“It’s not that important, Alastair. I’m a grown woman, I can handle my own enemies,” she says.
That you are.
“Time’s up,” Trask calls and I glare over my shoulder at him. He can’t see my eyes, but I’m sure he can feel the heat of my stare.
Lily whines and the sound shoots straight to my core. What was once a childish noise is now far too…seductive. I don’t like it.
She looks at me pathetically. “Just a few more minutes? I’m going to be locked up in that carriage for half a day all alone and then the boat for two whole weeks!”
“Brunay,” Trask warns, his own stare as fiery as mine.
I ease Kor’Tar to a stop and dismount.
“Please, Alastair?” She rounds her eyes as big as they’ll go and sticks out her full lower lip.
Do your duty. Protect her.
“Off the horse, princess.” I lift my hand in offer to help her down.
Her brow furrows and I can see the protest forming on her lips. If I give her even a second to voice it, I might succumb. I grab her around the waist and pull her off the horse, then pin her to my shoulder with one arm.
“Alastair, I can walk!” she shouts, beating her fists against the armored plate on my back.
I open the carriage door and sether inside. “Stay.”
She crosses her arms, glaring at me. “You used to be more fun.”
I grunt and close the door on her.
“Fine! Goodbye, Alastair!” she shouts from the tiny gap in the window.
Derek climbs down from the carriage. His lip curls back in a snarl as he mutters, “What a little fucking brat.”
Rage blinds me and I snatch him by the throat. I kick out his legs and push him to his knees as my other hand dives into his mouth to catch his traitorous tongue. He yelps, both hands coming up to pull on my wrist.
“Do noteverspeak about my princess like that again or you will lose more than this. Understand?”
I pull on his tongue until the connective tissue on the bottom begins to rip. He screams, reaching for the dagger at his hip.
“Brunay! Stop!” Trask demands but I ignore him.
Derek moves to ram his dagger into my groin. I knee him in the chest and kick the weapon away. “Do you understand?”
“Alastair!” Trask dismounts.
Derek mumbles something that sounds in the affirmative and I release him. He sobs, holding his throat as he bends over. I hear theshingof steel leaving its scabbard and turn to see Trask has drawn his weapon.
I cock my head at him, the demon bubbling to the surface. My vision goes red and my fingernails grow into dark claws.
