Protector (Little Death Bringer, #2)

by Banks, Catherine

  I opened my eyes and found his face above mine. “Where Sebastian?” I asked softly.

  Favian’s face darkened and he said, “He’s in Father’s war room.”

  “He saved me,” I whispered.

  “Hardly,” Favian said angrily, “The healer is the one who saved you.”

  “Tried,” I whispered, “I would have been eaten by the shapeshifter had he not interfered.”

  “Stop talking,” Favian ordered. “Your stitches are fresh and you need to rest while the skin knits itself back together.”

  “I’m sorry I got myself into trouble again,” I whispered, ignoring his order. “I was healing my broken foot by using that technique you taught me to increase my powers and it ended up merging with the other power in me. After it merged I needed to expend energy and I needed to kill ogres. Unfortunately that shapeshifter was there as well and I couldn’t defeat him.”

  “Stop talking,” Favian ordered again, “We can discuss it later.”

  “Don’t mad at him.” I knew I was hardly making sense, but my throat hurt too much to talk in full sentences.

  Favian sighed. “Okay, now will you please stop talking?”

  I smiled and closed my eyes. “Yes.”

  “How is she?” Sebastian asked.

  “Awake,” I whispered as I opened my eyes again.

  “You’re still talking,” Favian said angrily.

  Sebastian sat down on my other side and I felt like I was going crazy with a Favian-looking person on either side of me. “I’m sorry that he hurt you,” Sebastian whispered as he brushed the back of his hand down my cheek.

  “Stop touching her,” Favian said angrily.

  Sebastian looked up at him. “I’m sorry, are you courting her? She told me that you two were only partners.”

  “No I am not courting her,” Favian said with gritted teeth.

  “Then why does it bother you that I am touching her?” Sebastian asked with a strange look in his eyes.

  “I think you and I need to talk outside,” Favian said as he stood up angrily.

  I grabbed Favian’s hand, but he pulled out of my hold and walked out of the healer’s room. “I’ll be back shortly,” Sebastian said with a smile at me.

  I tried to grab them, but they both left too quickly. Why must Elves be so stubborn?!

  I started to sit up, but Father came in and pushed me back down. “Easy, you can’t get up yet.”

  “Favian, Sebastian, fighting outside,” I whispered.

  Father shrugged. “They must work out their differences.”

  “Fighting. Over me. Being injured,” I whispered back.

  His eyes widened and he stood up. “Why didn’t you say so before?!” He picked me up and ran out of the castle faster than I had ever been carried. How could he be faster than the younger elves? Did you gain speed with power?

  We found the twins facing off in the fighting arena with swords drawn. “Put your swords down,” Father said commandingly.

  “He has insulted my honor,” Favian said.

  “Only after you insulted mine,” Sebastian said back.

  I jumped out of Father’s arms and walked to the center of the ring. Instantly both sheathed their swords to reach out for me as I stumbled from the pain of the stitches in my stomach. “You shouldn’t be moving,” Favian said angrily.

  “She wouldn’t be if you weren’t…” Sebastian began, but I put a hand over both of their mouths.

  “Stop fighting,” I whispered. Father moved towards me and I held up my hand towards him. “I need. Talk Sebastian,” I said quickly.

  “What about?” Favian asked.

  I glared at him. “Go.”

  “Come on Favian, let’s leave them to talk,” Father said as he put an arm around Favian and basically drug him away.

  “Please. No fighting,” I whispered to Sebastian. “You. Need. Be friends.”

  “Stop talking, Marin. You’re going to rip your stitches. Come on, we need to get you back inside and lying down,” he said.

  I needed to tell him that he couldn’t fight over me because I couldn’t ever court anyone, but I was in a lot of pain and I really did not want to have the conversation anyways. “Fine,” I whispered as I hobbled back towards the castle. “Just promise no more fighting.”

  “I promise I won’t start it, but if he attacks me I will defend myself,” he said as he held open the door for me.

  “Be nice,” I scolded.

  He winked at me. “I’m always nice.”

  I pushed him away from me playfully and pointed at my throat and then held up a clenched fist to Favian who was waiting for us just inside the doorway. Pointing to a wounded area then holding up a clenched fist was our way to tell each other that we were in pain when we couldn’t speak. Favian picked me up and started carrying me down the hallway. “You should be in bed.”

  I wanted to argue or force him to put me down, but I quite enjoyed being carried by Favian. “Watch out, she doesn’t like being carried. She has a wicked elbow.”

  “I’m well aware of her likes and dislikes,” Favian said as we walked into the healer’s room.

  “There you are!” She yelled, “Why aren’t you in bed? Favian, you know she needs to rest.”

  “Father carried her out and I’m bringing her in,” he said as he laid me down. He looked in my eyes and said, “I’ll chain you to the bed if you try to get up again.”

  I stuck my tongue out at him and then sucked it back in my mouth before he could grab it. It was a dumb game that we had played since we were toddlers.

  “I’ll take my leave,” Sebastian said as he walked to me and kissed my cheek, “I’m glad that you are alright.”

  Favian watched him leave with a fierce look in his eyes and then sat down in a chair beside my bed. “I tried to tell Father that it was a bad idea to leave you behind, but he thought you would stay out of trouble.”

  I rolled my eyes at him. He was such a brat.

  “I told him that I needed to keep you in my sight, but he refused to let you go because he knew the shapeshifter was too strong. He was right, of course, but you ended up finding him anyways since he was traveling with ogres. Sometimes your keen sense of ogres is troublesome.”

  He was preaching to the choir on that one. I really wished I could figure out how to use my power against any one that was trying to hurt me, not just ogres.

  “Mother is planning a big ball to welcome Sebastian into the family in the next couple of days. Every elf is supposed to attend. I’m not really looking forward to it. I guess I haven’t really given him a chance though. Is he a good person?”

  I nodded my head.

  “Well I guess if he meets your standards than I should go make nice with him, but I’ll wait and do it tomorrow.”

  I was surprised that he was talking so much, but as expected he left shortly after that.

  I had spent too much time being a girl and being in the Kingdom. I needed to get out and fight. The only problem was that the ball was happening soon and I was still recovering from my newest injuries. I relaxed on the bed and thought of all of my options. I finally made up my mind and though I was happy with my decision, I did not feel happy inside. Truthfully I felt frightened and nervous at the prospect.

  Favian and Sebastian visited me frequently, but most of the time they just sat quietly with me and seemed to be deep in thought about something.

  Each day I used the power increasing technique to help heal my injuries, but was sure not to combine my powers or imagine it building much more than a small amount each time. After two days of lying in the bed doing nothing, the healer released me to walk around, but made me swear not to do any fighting.

  I walked through the tall grasses of the fields towards the forest on my last girly mission. After today I would no longer have an interest in males and would become a single mercenary with no emotional ties to anyone beyond friendship. Or at least that was what I hoped to do. Mother always said that I was too kind a being to ev
er hate anyone or deny myself affection from others, but I had to hope.

  The brothers had noticed my standoffish attitude, but neither had commented on it, rather they had continued to show their friendship to me and loyalty. I stepped into the forest and a chill settled over me. It was not due to fear, but rather nervousness. I was doing something forbidden and I was not sure what the outcome would be. I walked confidently through the forest, ignoring the various sets of eyes from the forest animals as I made my way. I was incredibly happy that my wounds were completely healed and hoped if I were punished for what I was doing that it wouldn’t be too severe. The forest was only about ten miles across in this spot as it grew out a little from the rest of the forest. My nerves built as I neared the edge of the forest and stood at the farthest point which I had ever traveled this way.

  I took a deep breath and picked my foot up to walk out, but a voice in my head whispered, “Stop.”

  I put my foot back down and looked around. “Who’s there?”

  “You aren’t supposed to be here, Marin.”

  I finally recognized the voice as Silvermist, the Queen of the Pegasus herd which lived here. “I am not here for myself,” I answered strongly.

  “I am aware of your reasons for being here, child, but if you step foot onto this land your father will have no option, but to punish you.”

  I was afraid she would say that. “I need only a minute of your time,” I asked humbly, “Please Queen Silvermist.”

  The Pegasus Queen stepped out from behind a tree to my left and I gaped at her magnificence as she walked. She shimmered like silver and her mane and tail floated as she moved. I had only been allowed to speak to her when I was younger, but I had no doubt that she had the smoothest gait of any four-legged being. She nudged me backwards with her head, pushing me back farther into the forest. “You are lucky I was nearby and heard your thoughts.”

  “Then you know what I’ve come to ask for?” I asked softly.

  She bobbed her head and her eyes sparkled with humor. “If it were for anything else I would nip you in reprimand, but your heart and intentions are pure and I am willing to give you this gift as long as you promise me one thing.”

  “What thing?” I asked suspiciously.

  “That you never enter our realm unless there is an emergency which I, or the King, have summoned you for.”

  I didn’t want to agree to it, but I knew she was being extremely reasonable considering I had almost broken one of the only laws I had in this Kingdom. “I swear it,” I said with a bow.

  She nickered in approval and turned her body sideways towards me. “Hop on and I will take you to a spot most suitable for this type of work.”

  I didn’t waste any time because I rarely got the opportunity to ride a Pegasus and hopped up onto her back, trying to be as gentle as possible. “Thank you.”

  She trotted out of the forest and then took to the sky, flapping her wings hard as she ascended. I held on tightly with my legs to keep from falling and enjoyed the feel of the wind on my face as she flew. We leveled out over the top of the forest as she glided over the trees and I couldn’t keep the smile off of my face. She was magnificent and even if I never rode a Pegasus again, I would always remember this moment. It was truly an honor to ride the Queen.

  She took me deep into the forest, passed all of the small streams and up and over the waterfall to the fast rapids and an open, sandy shore. She folded her wings in against her body and landed lightly on her hooves, hardly jarring me at all. “If you search the shallow parts of the sand just in the water you will find blue shells, which are rarely seen or used. Collect forty of them and then I will help you with the next steps.” I looked at her in shock a moment and she lifted her top lip in a smile. “I watched you making the necklace for Prince Favian and have watched your struggles with all things feminine. I will help you with this task to ensure it is as beautiful as your intentions for it to be are.”

  Stunned and immensely grateful didn’t begin to cover how she was making me feel at the moment. I resisted the urge to hug her and stepped in to the water as I began searching for the shells. I had to dig deeper than I thought I would need to, but I finally found where the shells were buried. I pulled one out and stared at it in complete shock. They were a deep blue with a shine that made them look to be gemstones. It was by far the most beautiful shell I had ever seen.

  Silvermist folded her legs beneath her, laid down and dozed on the beach while I searched. She looked as regal as ever, even in sleep.

  It took me an hour to collect forty of them, but I finally had them all in a pile on the beach. “Done,” I said softly.

  She opened her eyes and looked at the pile. “Good. Now take out one of your daggers and I will instruct you on where to cut the hair from.”

  I pulled my dagger and approached her nervously. I did not want to screw up or upset her so I had to be extremely careful. As careful as if she were a baby I did not want to hurt.

  “Stop worrying, Marin. Now, from the underside of my tail cut four strands at the base and hold them in your hand. This is going to be difficult because you will have to continue to hold the hairs while you continue cutting, but if you set them down anywhere they will be blown away. You understand?”

  I nodded my head and approached her rump where she was holding her tail up for me to reach the underside. I separated four strands out and cut them gently. I held them in my hand and then turned to her face.

  “Good. Now continue that process all the way around the outer part of my tail. Once you’ve done that you will come to the top of my mane and I will instruct you on that.”

  I worked slowly and efficiently, being sure never to take more than four strands and never to prick her tail with my dagger. “Why can’t I visit the Pegasus herd?” I asked her as I approached her head to begin on her mane.

  “We are a proud race and though many of us have watched you grow up with the elves and are fond of you, there are some who view you as what you are. You are human and some detest the presence of humans. Some would view it as a crime punishable by death if a human found their way to our herd’s sleeping area.”

  “I’m not completely human,” I reminder her.

  She snorted. “Yes, we are aware of your father. Which reminds me, why haven’t you uncovered your Father’s identity yet?”

  I sighed. “I don’t have any clues except his swords and that medallion. Plus I haven’t had time to search him out yet.”

  “You should search him out soon. It is good to know who your father is.”

  “Why don’t you tell me?” I asked.

  “Because you must take the journey just as the others did. You must find out on your own who you are. It is part of the process of maturing and coming into your powers.”

  “This bites,” I whispered.

  “Everyone must find their place in the world. Your journey is just a little more complicated,” she said with a laughing neigh.

  We resumed the task so that we would not be out in the dark. I listened to her directions and then began to slowly cut strands of her mane and added them to the growing pile in my hand. After I finished she had me sit down and arrange the hair into three equal piles and place a medium sized rock on top of them to hold them down. Then I had to sort through the small blue shells that I’d found until I found three that were small enough to look nice on a bracelet and yet big enough to fit the end of the tied, braided horse hair through. She explained that the shells would be the clasp for the bracelet and that she had made me pick so many shells to be able to find three suitable ones. Plus she suggested that I make two bracelets from the shells for mother and father as gifts.

  I looked at her curiously and she whispered, “I can sense your urgency to escape. Remember that I can hear your thoughts and I know what truly lies within your heart. That is the only reason I am helping you.”

  I did not have a response to that so I did as she asked, sorting through the shells for at least an hour until I fou
nd three that were perfect.

  After laying the hairs out side by side and then tying a knot into each of the three sets I started braiding. It took a long time and my fingers had burns from the hairs as I worked slowly to make the most beautiful braid possible. Finally three braided strands were done. I tied a knot in each of the ends and then measured out how much I actually needed for the bracelets, undid the braids to there and retied a knot and then cut the extra off. Getting the knotted part into the center of the shell and then to the outer edge in the inside was difficult, but I managed and was overly pleased when I had three perfect Pegasus hair bracelets in my hands.

  “They’re beautiful,” I whispered as I looked at the shiny silver hair.

  “Surprised that you could create it?” she asked knowingly.

  “Yes,” I said even though I knew she already knew the answer.

  “Good. Now let’s work on the bracelets for the King, Queen and Kato.”

  The day was coming to a close and the ball was to begin that night only three hours after sunset. I tried not to rush myself to ensure that the bracelets would be beautiful and with Silvermist’s help I was able to finish just an hour after sunset.

  “Now place all six of the bracelets in between your palms and hold them out. I want you to picture your Mother, Father, Kato and the two Princes and yourself. Hold the image of them in your mind and be completely still.”

  I wasn’t sure what she was up to, but I did as she asked, standing in front of her as I held out my hands with the bracelets between them. I closed my eyes and pictured the six of us and relaxed. I was beginning to wonder what she was up to when she sneezed on my hands. Irritation started to boil, but then I felt magic working between me and the bracelets. I kept my mouth closed and kept the image of the six of us at the front of my mind. The magic built and then disintegrated with an audible pop.

  I opened my eyes and hands and stared at the slightly glowing bracelets. “What was that?” I asked softly.

  “That was a spell which will allow you to communicate with the wearers of the bracelet no matter distance. Once you all are wearing them you only need to think their name and conjure up an image of them and then you will be connected. You can block it by picturing darkness if you are in a spot where you do not want to communicate.”