Page 26 of Feral Guardian
Pain sears through my forearm with flashes of red fire and animal skulls. Runes etched so deep in my flesh they hit the bone. They’re so dark they summon evil itself straight from the lowest hell.
“Obedience!”
I squeeze my arm, feeling the heat of that hidden mark. I’d removed it ages ago when I mastered body transfiguration, but the magic of that rune lingers in me, in my bones.
Mother has always been strict. She is a woman in a place of power and has tried to forge me to be able to endure the same. But could she be the one trying to harm me?
Why would she have me captured by pirates? Where was I being transported to?
Perhaps Trask was acting on his own, seeing an opportunity to ransom me and line his pockets. Or maybe Trask was an addict, and the exchange of coin was indeed for his fix. He was too high to protect me on the road and ran. Maybe the pirate attack was not specifically calculated for me, but I happened to be a handsome prize when they saw the carriage.
There are too many unknowns to make any judgements.
I sigh with frustration, watching the steam of my breath rise into the sunlight. “What do we do now?”
Alastair turns to face me, his expression grave. “We get you home, to the palace. My guard waits there. No matter the threat, no matter whom from, we will protect you.”
Does Alastair suspect my mother as well?
“We must get on the road if we’re to make it to Yelesna in time to catch a boat,” Alastair says as he turns for the house.
“We’re going by boat?” I ask, running to catch him. “What if there’re more pirates?”
He stops at the door. “Taking the road will offer too many opportunities for your abduction. Trask will surely follow us. A boat will give us some distance and be more discreet.”
I look up into his dark eyes. They’re firm with resolve. This is the best option.
“Okay. I trust you.”
He grips my shoulder, his warm fingers resting on the back of my neck. “I will never let anyone take you again.”
Those words swell in my heart, awakening my long-battled love for him. But he’s just my guard. This is his duty. My safety is his task and nothing more. I cannot let my feelings grow for him after years of fighting them.
I will not.
Chapter nine
Alastair
After breakfast, Lily expends more of her magic to help the family that has sheltered us. She fixes the roof, patches holes in the walls, makes the children new toys to play with, and repairs some of their damaged tools, all while I remind her not to drain herself dry. I can see she’s going to anyway.
I approach Johan, who is studying the newly repaired manual sewing machine, and hold out my shin guards. “Payment. They are trimmed in gold.”
Johan looks at the armor, then shakes his head. “I don’t need them.”
“I said I would pay.” I put them down next to him.
“She has already paid.” Johan picks up the shin guards and pushes them toward me. “And you will need these to protect her.”
The children laugh as they cling to Lily’s dress, begging for more tricks. I suppose she has paid. She uses her bright magic and some scrap clothing to fashion the girl’s dress into something more suited for a little princess, and does the same for the boy, making him a regal set of robes and a tunic.
When the children run off to play with their new toys—fake horses and swords—I approach her.
“We can’t linger,” I whisper in Fynish.
She dips her head. “I know. I just wanted to make sure they were well enough off.”
“I believe you have,” I say, my chest briming with pride.
