Oathtaker

by Patricia Reding

  Basha stepped up. She put an arm around each of the twins. “She’ll be fine. Now, why don’t you two leave us to see to her needs?”

  “We want to help,” Eden said.

  “There’s really nothing you can do.”

  “Can’t someone heal her?”

  “Of course. We just didn’t want her to try to do too much, too soon. So we brought her back here right away.” Basha squeezed them closer for a moment. “Really, she’s going to be fine. Kayson already healed her shoulder. So, you two go on then, and I’ll let you know when we’re through here.”

  Reigna pulled away. “Goodness, we’re not children, you know.”

  The remark startling her, Basha blinked repeatedly. “Of course not. I know that. We just need some space, that’s all. You’d be of most help if you left us to this.”

  “I’m not leaving.”

  Letting her breath out slowly, Basha glanced at her, then at her sister.

  “Neither am I,” Eden said.

  All eyes turned her way. It was so unlike Eden not to act as the peacemaker.

  “All right, then,” Basha said, “but you’ll have to stay out of the way and allow Kayson some quiet so that he can concentrate.”

  Reigna pulled out two chairs. She pointed to one, directing with a nod at Eden that it was meant for her. Then she sat in the other.

  Dixon watched them. He couldn’t recall that they’d ever before asserted their will over that of their elders. But just now, they refused to be ignored. He knew that when a young person came of age, she often had to demand her place amongst the adults in just such a manner. He also knew that her doing so, even just once, was usually sufficient. Too often the young person who lacked the wherewithal to do so, never fully grew up. In that moment, he knew that he and Mara had done a fine job raising the twins, of preparing them for independence. Perhaps they’d soon be ready to take their rightful places and to lead the Select. The thought both satisfied and alarmed him.

  “Isn’t there something we can do to help?” Reigna asked.

  Basha smiled weakly. “Not just now. But your being here is sure to help Mara when she comes to.”

  She brought another chair to the bedside and then motioned to Kayson that it was for him. Once done, she turned to the rest of the company. “You all should go now,” she said.

  “I’m staying,” Dixon said.

  “Of course you are, Dixon. As to the rest of you though . . .” She gestured toward the door.

  Slowly, Lucy, Therese, Nina, and Jules, made their way toward it.

  “Keep us posted,” Lucy said, stepping out.

  After they left, Basha got chairs for herself and Dixon. As she sat down, she turned to Kayson. It was time to begin.

  He moved Mara’s hair to inspect the wound on her head. Then he placed his hands to each side of her face, concentrating, calling forth his magic.

  Dixon paced back and forth, back and forth.

  “Dixon, sit down,” Basha ordered without looking his way.

  He sat. Within moments, he started tapping a beat with his hand to his thigh. It was a mannerism he often acted out when concerned or in deep thought.

  “Dixon,” Basha said, glancing his way.

  “What?” He sprang to his feet.

  “Stop it,” she ordered, looking at his hand when he resumed patting to an unheard beat.

  He held her gaze, exhaling slowly, audibly. He sat back down, folded his hands, and then dropped them between his knees. He leaned forward and looked down. With his toes to the floor and heels raised, he bounced one leg up and down.

  The twins watched him for a moment. Then Eden took his hand. She smiled softly when their eyes met. With her other hand, she reached for her sister. The three exchanged glances and then collectively, turned back to Kayson.

  With Dixon momentarily quieted, Basha nodded at the healer, signaling for him to continue.

  After shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Kayson peered inside to get a firm idea of the extent of Mara’s injuries. Then he sent a stream of magic into his patient. With both his physical eyes, and his eyes of magic, he watched as the gash to her head healed. Within minutes, only a thin pink line remained of the wound.

  He increased his magic stream as he surveyed her other injuries. The fall had jarred her shoulder. He concentrated on putting it in place and then added a cushion of comfort around it while removing some excess inflammation.

  Continuing on, he followed his attendant power to her head. He poured out more magic.

  The minutes seemed to drag on in the silent room.

  Finally, when his energy waned, Kayson glanced up at Basha and nodded.

  She turned to Dixon and the twins. “Now, we wait,” she said.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Patricia Reding leads a double life. By day, she practices law. By night, she reads, reviews a wide variety of works, and writes fantasy. She lives on an island on the Mississippi with her husband and youngest daughter (her son and oldest daughter having already flown the nest), and Flynn Rider, an English Cream Golden Retriever. From there, she seeks to create a world in which she can be in two places at once. She took up Oathtaker as a challenge, and re-discovered along the way, the joy of storytelling.

  Oathtaker, is Volume One of The Oathtaker Series. Select, is Volume Two of The Oathtaker Series. Ephemeral and Fleeting, is Volume Three of The Oathtaker Series.

  For more information, join the author at www.PatriciaReding.com. Also, you may like her at www.Facebook.com/PatriciaRedingAuthor, fan and follow her at www.Goodreads.com, and follow her at www.PatriciaReding.BookLikes.com.

  NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

  Thank you for your kind attention to The Oathtaker Series. I would be delighted if you would take a minute to leave a review with your favorite book vendor, on your blog, or elsewhere. Also, please take a minute to add your name to my mailing list at www.PatriciaReding.com. Thank you, again.

  AWARDS

  Oathtaker was a GOLD medal winner in the Literary Classics International Book Award contest, was an award-winner in the Readers’ Favorite International Book Award contest, and was a Finalist in the Beverly Hills International Book Award Contest. Find out more at www.LiteraryClassics.org, www.ReadersFavorite.com, and at

  www.BeverlyHillsBookAwards.com.

  Select was a SILVER medal winner in the Literary Classics International Book Award contest, and was awarded a Finalist in the Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest.

  Both Oathtaker and Select have earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval and the Readers’ Favorite Five-Star Seal.

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