Page 85 of Feral Guardian
I’m sure it was just the krysanthem spinning lies in her head—
But those runes. They radiated vileness, malevolence, and if her mother had truly done that to her, could she be right? What if I take her home, and the queen kills her?
How would she? Howcouldshe? Murdering her own daughter would have the kingdom in uproar. Maybe she would spin some tale, but it would be difficult.
Perhaps that’s why she’s trying to kill her out here, in another country where she doesn’t have to take any of the blame. Trask was part ofherguard. A request I had to follow to leave my men behind in favor of hers. But that could’ve been her concern over making sure her daughter returned safely.
It feels insane to contemplate it. Lily is powerful, a boon to the kingdom and the throne. But the marks on Lily’s arms and chest. Her neck. Gods, everywhere. She’d been markedeverywhere.
Yegress, to expose the nature of fight or die.
Morgha, for determination.
Juuren, for growth of spirit.
But then more. More I don’t know and can’t identify but I can guess who they were for.
Ashai, malevolence deified.
Perhaps not, though. Runecrafters are making new scripts from the gods’ words every day, but these were nothing likeanythingI’d ever seen. Yet they felt…
Evil.
It felt like something tainting her.
They felt like Ashai.
I scratch the spot on the side of my head that’s covered with a beaded braid. A spot that I’ve promised never to reveal to anyone,and never to talk about. My curse. The thing that made me a demon. Ashai’s brand.
We’re getting close to the mountains when we finally stop for the night. I help Lily down from Kor’Tar. Her gaze is vacant. Empty.
“Lily,” I murmur as she turns away from me. She grabs the supplies and finds a flat place to set camp for the night.
“Talk to me, please,” I beg, following her instead of doingmyduty, taking care of Kor’Tar and scanning the perimeter for dangers.
She doesn’t look at me as she begins setting up the tent, her magic on full display as she clears the area of water and stray stones.
“Lily.” I step in front of her, disrupting her rune-writing.
She looks up, her eyes burning with a fury I don’t understand.
“Why are you being like this?” I ask.
“Because.”
My brow pinches. “Why?”
She smirks coldly. “Just because.”
“I don’t like it,” I say.
She moves around me. “Too bad.”
I catch her arm to stop her, but before I can get any words out, she yanks herself away from me. There’s hate in her eyes.
“You canguardme all you like,” she spits. “But do not touch me like we’re familiar.”
My chest cleaves in two.
