Page 17 of Dawn to Dusk
My eyebrows scrunched together. Balthazar knocked again. “We’ll talk about it later.” I walked out before she could try to lie again.
Balthazar frowned at the door. “What was that?”
“I have no clue.”
Chapter 5:
Ziam
I followed Balthazar over to where Esmerey was patching up a hole in her wards. Her eyes were closed, focusing her power on the magical barrier.
“Her wards are brilliant.” I commented. “I haven’t seen wards like this since the High Priestess Quiya in the dark ages.”
“Who was that?” The wind shifted Balthazar’s hair forward, and he pushed the curly locks away from his face.
“She was Bria’s first and only high priestess.” I explained.
“Wards are sol magic, not luna magic.”
“Mirneax is Bria’s mother.”
He shrugged, making the insignia on his shoulder move. The tribal tree announcing he was the forest god’s favored son was permanently imprinted on his copper skin at birth. “I don’t know alot about Goddess Bria.”
“Most don’t,” Esmerey spoke up. “And witches consider her inconsequential to the balance.”
“They are wrong.” My answer impressed her. She nodded in agreement with me, and the tiniest suggestion of a smile tilted the corner of those luscious lips.
“I would like for you to run to the human village for some supplies.” Balthazar said, holding out his list to her.
“Yes, sir.” She accepted the parchment without further question.
Balthazar pointed to me. “Ziam will escort you. I believe you’ve met before.”
“The unicorn.” She confirmed with a blank expression as her bright ruby eyes slowly assessed me. Her lips tensed with disapproval once she was done. “I have no need for an escort.”
“I would not presume to believe I could protect a competent witch such as yourself from anything, but I would be happy to carry the supplies for you.” I tried to appeal to her pride. Her eyebrow arched, not falling for the pacifying offer in any capacity.
“It’s the truth.” Balthazar spoke up. “He’s not meant to guard you.”
“Then send him.” Her body tensed, and the perfume of distrust wafting up my nose reminded me of burning wood.
“Unlike most here, I harbor no ill will towards you. That is why Balthazar selected me to escort you, but I’m not knowledgeable enough to go alone. I beg for your assistance.”
“I underestimated our need for certain herbs. He won’t know how to identify poor ingredients, my other witch frolicked away, and this may be our last chance to buy supplies from them.” Balthazar explained to her.
Her face hardened in an attempt to look stern. “Edur slowed me down last time. If you slow me down, I’ll leave you behind.”
The warning was empty, but I allowed her to think I believed her. “Yes, ma’am.”
He handed her a bag of coins to pay with, and she turned to walk away without another word.
“Make sure the humans don’t do anything untowards to her.” Balthazar mumbled to me.
“You think she can’t protect herself?” Until he said that, I really thought I was only meant to carry goods.
“The village started a witch hunt when their crops quit growing. A man’s presence should keep suspicion off her.”
I nodded and ran to catch up to her. She already betrayed the warning she gave me by slowing down until I stood at her side.
