Protector

by Joanne Wadsworth

  He shook his head. “Your warriors took seven lives this week. Two hundred and thirty-eight lives this year. They are killers with only one purpose. They take what they want.”

  “So you’ve made your decision?”

  “Yes.”

  There was a rush of wind as he said that word, and I spun to look.

  “No, Silas.”

  A fierce, girly squeal pinged loudly from wall to wall in the underground chamber, making me jump when I recognized it was Silvie.

  Silas bellowed with laughter as he threw her out into the deep water. There was a streak of red as she disappeared.

  With a heaving mass of bubbles, she resurfaced, blowing out a fountain of water. “That does not get any funnier, no matter how many times you do it. You’re supposed to leave me on the edge of the pool, not throw me in it. You are such a pain in the neck.” She cupped her hand and sprayed water at him.

  This was how I should be living. I should be free and having fun. I was eighteen, yet living the life of someone who had the weight of the world on her shoulders.

  I couldn’t do this.

  And it was too dangerous for me to stay here. I would never give Davio an opening to take me.

  I examined the crystal clear water before me.

  A water source.

  My way out.

  Chapter 15

  Davio hadn’t seen it coming. I had dived in fully clothed and flashed back to Dralion before he’d even registered my intent. But it had been the only way.

  From the quiet sanctuary of my room, I watched him. He was more agitated than I’d ever seen him. He hadn’t spoken to anyone after I left. He’d returned to his private quarters and that’s where he’d been holed up for the past four hours.

  Silas entered the room, joining him. “You have to speak sooner or later. I realize your mate’s gone.” He sat opposite Davio.

  Pressing his elbows to his knees, Davio stared at the wall. “She wants me to choose her, but there is no choice. All I can think of is the hundreds of families who’ve suffered a great loss this year, and I can lower those numbers if we eliminate Alexo. The only right decision is the one I’ve made.”

  “Yes, but there will always be Peacian deaths at the hands of Dralion’s warriors,” Silas pointed out.

  “Yet not that high. We need to be given a fighting chance to defend ourselves. You and I both know how fast and precise their attacks are.”

  I touched a hand to my chest, for I felt his pain. I couldn’t deny the loss of lives, and I would never condone one killing another. But this war was not my doing, and I knew it would never end with the capture of one man. Not when that man was my father. I couldn’t lose him, not now.

  Silas sighed. “What about you? This isn’t like you to use an innocent to gain the outcome you want. There must be a way to make this right.”

  Davio scrubbed both hands over his face. “There is no other way.” He shot to his feet and stormed to his desk. “Faith will not leave Dralion now, not if she hopes to protect Alexo and herself.” He picked up a framed photograph from his desk and stared at it. “She is the one I want, and I cannot have her.”

  Silas crossed the room to join him. “So how are we better off? She will be on her guard, as will Alexo. This will all have been for naught.”

  I came around positioning myself to view the photograph he viewed. It was the one I kept on my bedside stand–the one of Silvie and me as we’d celebrated my last birthday at Pier’s Restaurant.

  Davio set the frame back on his desk. “She will have alerted him. She left before I could prevent her, and before I was supposed to have taken her to the holding cell. I should have done as Carlisio bid and made it quick, only I wanted more time with her. This is my fault she escaped.”

  I closed my eyes as tears slipped free. I missed him, no matter what he’d done. I rubbed at my temple, feeling the familiar ache of being denied our connection.

  “Faith.”

  My mother peered around the corner.

  “Come in.”

  She smiled, all blushy and pink and glowing, which had me recalling exactly what she’d been up to that day. “You and Dad are together again?” I rolled my shoulders.

  “How did you–” She coughed, clearing her throat. “–ah, no, please don’t tell me how you know that. The things you and Alexo can do are criminal.”

  “Trust me, I wish I didn’t know.” I patted the bed beside me. “Sit. We need to talk.”

  “About?”

  “My mind-merge.”

  She eased in beside me, tilting her head. “Go for it.”

  “Dad first said my mind-merge was an extension of my forethought, that I activated it because of my warring blood with Davio. What I do is merge my mind with his and with touch, skin-to-skin, we no longer experience pain. Yet if Dad had this ability to bed down in your mind, warring blood or not, he would discover there is no choice–he would have to mind-merge with you.” I looked at her intently. “I can go a few days without the merge, but when I’m not with Davio, my mind cries out for his. He’s not affected at all like I am, but then he can’t mind-merge. I’m the one who has the skill–not him. So, I’m certain this is a separate ability. Entirely.”

  “Which means?”

  I sighed, finally giving into the knowledge which sat deep in my heart. “I can’t go more than three days without him. I need to reconnect to his mind to restore the balance of the merge. I don’t know if anyone else has this skill. Everyone’s presumed it’s part of my forethought and we all know how rare that is.”

  “I see.”

  I shook my head. “No, you don’t see. A Magioling’s strength skills are passed down through their DNA. I did not receive this skill of mind-merge from my father or from the Wincrest family line. I had to have received this skill from you, from your family line. You are thirty-six and you could pass for my sister. You are an orphan with no known family. You are also mated to Alexo Wincrest when there has never been any other mating between an Earthling and one of theirs before. Now there is Davio and me. There are too many variables. You can’t be of Earth. Don’t you see it?”

  “Faith, no. I don’t have any strength skills.” Her fingers twisted together.

  “Not all Magiolings do.” I laid my hand over hers. “Please, you have to know something which could help me. This is so important. Already my head aches, and I cannot go to him.”

  Her brow creased. “You fast-heal. Why can’t you go to him?”

  “My fast-healing skill doesn’t aid me in this.”

  It had not relieved the symptoms for me on the mountaintop when I’d needed it so desperately. Only reconnecting to Davio’s mind had completed the healing.

  I heaved a sigh. “I cannot go to him now, not after he has chosen to use me as leverage to capture my father.” Her eyes widened, her hands shaking under mine. “It just happened today. I’m sorry to have to tell you like this.”

  “Sol,” she stated. “You know my maiden name is Sol, and that I was just a baby, around three days old, when I was orphaned. What I haven’t told you is that the nuns who ran the home said my mother’s name was Katerin and that she came alone. My mother left me there.” The truth came tumbling out, and she grimaced. “It hurts to know she never returned. She promised the nuns she would, but she never did. Because of that there was no option for adoption.”

  “Katerin Sol,” I repeated.

  “The nuns named me after my mother. They were not sure what else to do.”

  I repeated the name again, now knowing it was that of my grandmother. “It’s a start. Is there anything else?”

  In his dark leathers, my father entered the room, a glow to his skin similar to my mother’s. “I watched. It’s a bad habit.” He clenched his jaw. “In the future, everything you two discuss of this kind of importance, you will discuss with me present. We are a family.”

  I pressed my fingers to my temples. “We have a name. Katerin Sol. Now where do you suggest we go from there?”
r />   He planted his feet wide. “We start by backdating Kate’s age. Thirty-six years ago, Dralion’s dome had been intact for four years. If Katerin Sol was from Dralion, she would’ve been a female warrior for that’s the only way she could’ve gotten out.”

  I stood. “Are you saying that’s a possibility?”

  He pressed a finger to his chin. “No, there have been no Sols as warriors until two years past when Maslin Sol joined the ranks, and he is the first from within his family line.” He looked at me. “The skill of mind-merge has never been recorded in our land, which is why it was thought to be an extension.”

  “What do you think now?”

  “I agree with your assessment. It’s a separate skill and quite possibly rare. We need to seek more information.”

  My mother rose and crossed to his side. “How do we do that? What of Katerin Sol?”

  He took her hands. “It is far more likely she came from Peacio where there are no restrictions on their people’s travels.” Glancing at me, he said, “Which means you’ll need to have Loveria search his history books. We have to be certain. He must hold the information we’re after.”

  “I’ll contact Belle now.”

  “Before you do, understand that I would never fall for any of the Loveria’s tactics. It hasn’t happened in the past, and it will not in the future. If you were locked up, I would find a way to get you out without being captured. I have forethought for a reason.” He wrapped an arm around my mother. “We’ll leave you alone to make that call.” They flashed away.

  In the silence, I paced, shaking out my hands as I crossed from one side of my room to the other. This upcoming conversation would not be easy.

  Inhaling, I opened the link.

  Belle, can we talk? I need you to be the go-between again since I don’t have a–

  Of course. No telepathic link yet. Silvie told me why you left. If it helps, I don’t agree with what’s gone down. It’s not right to use you in this way.

  Yeah, but I have a problem. A big one. I opened my forethought and saw her sitting in the rec room. Could you call Davio to you? I need to see for myself what he says.

  I didn’t have to wait long.

  He’s here.

  And he was, having brought Silas with him.

  I rubbed my forehead, outlining every detail as it had gone down with my mother and father. I watched Davio during the telling.

  He stormed to the windows, his fists clenching and unclenching. “Faith is lying. This must be a trick,” he said to her and Silas. “Sol is a common family name, as is the given name of Katerin. With our form of record-keeping it would be impossible for us to locate a woman who’s not been seen for thirty-six years.”

  Silas joined him. “I agree. This sounds too convenient.”

  “What it is,” Davio continued, “is Wincrest’s strategy to circumvent what we’ve done. His wife is of Earth and Faith is a Halfling. All along Wincrest has said he won’t allow any warrior spies to know of his daughter’s connection to me.” He crossed his arms. “This battle is between him and us, and I’m certain he’ll turn up here to halt what we’ve done–I don’t see he’ll have any other choice.”

  Belle, what of my ability to mind-merge? Has anyone ever heard of what I can do?

  No. If this has nothing to do with your forethought as you’ve said, then you’re the first I’ve heard of, but let me check.

  She asked Davio my question, and he snapped his answer. “If I’d known about it, I would have said so before now. It’s damn convenient Wincrest says it has nothing to do with forethought or his family line’s skills.”

  I sat in silence, then spoke, ignoring Davio’s disbelief when I knew the facts. Belle, I’m starting to believe this skill is not known, because it is a lost one.

  What do you mean by a lost one?

  I lied back down and rested my head on the pillow. I mean a deadly one. There is none known with this ability. I can’t forget that time on the mountain. I had no use of my limbs and was barely with it. Imagine going longer than that.

  She was quiet.

  And then there’s my mother. She told me she was left with the nuns when she was three days old.

  She repeated every word to Davio, and he ground his heel into the floor. “I don’t believe this. Now she thinks to hold her safety over my head? No. This ruse will not work against me. Belle, can you feel her pain through your link?”

  She shook her head. “There’s no pain, just a slight headache and I’m not surprised by that.”

  Davio gritted his teeth. “Then to believe her words, I demand she come here and see me. The only way to tell she speaks the truth is to see her eye to eye.”

  And I couldn’t do that, not until he promised to revoke all he’d done, as well as to take back his decision to imprison me.

  No. I will not come. I will never be held captive, either by his decision to use me as a pawn, or to lock me up within steel.

  She told him.

  “Then it’s a lie,” he bit out.

  I groaned. We were getting nowhere.

  Belle, perhaps it you could try and research the matter for me, I’d appreciate it.

  And what will you do?

  Stay put.

  For how long?

  I looked at my mate where he stood, wanting to go to him and ease his pain. Instead, I took a deep breath. On the mountain, I could not have helped myself. I needed you and Davio then, as I need you both now.

  Belle repeated my words, and Davio plowed a fist into the wall. “Damn it, she is a Wincrest through and through. She plays with our emotions. There is no skill on this planet which ultimately kills. If there had been, we’d have heard about it before now.” He stormed from the room.

  Let him go, I told her. But contact me if you have any information.

  Chapter 16

  I pushed back the sweaty strands of my hair as they became plastered to my forehead. Alexo pushed me in the arena, distracting me from my pain. His blade cut across mine and made me groan at the impact.

  “Dad,” I whimpered as I tried to hold my stance. “You have to give me a break. This session is killing me. You know I’m hitting three days.” My training clothes were saturated, my feet so wet I slipped within my own socks.

  He twirled around and came at me from the behind, his white shirt billowing. “Another two minutes. You can’t arrive there too soon.”

  “I won’t arrive there at all, at this rate. And why are you working me so brutally?”

  Now in front. “You need to perfect this move. Every second counts.” He sidestepped and crossed his blade in a beautiful line, bringing it right under my nose.

  I slammed my blade down, cutting him off in the nick of time. “Hey, okay, that’s enough,” I muttered. “I happen to need my nose.” Why did he keep changing positions? One moment he was in front, the next behind, to the side–it was endless.

  Mum called out from the sidelines, her arms pressed to the top of the safety railing. “Alexo, her nose is bleeding, and she’s so flushed.”

  I wiped my nose and came away with blood on my hand. I’d never had nosebleeds before. I dropped my sword because I hurt. Everywhere. “Okay, so what exactly was your forewarning all about? You never did elaborate.”

  He took my elbow as I stumbled to the side of the outdoor arena. “And I can’t. I have no wish to alter the warning’s course except to ensure you’ve practiced these battle moves. The field of play must remain even.”

  And Davio thought my father wasn’t fair. He was too damn fair. “My time’s almost up. I can’t do anymore.”

  He cupped my cheek. “I know. You can go to him now. The time is right. Loveria will be in the training hall where he works out with Silas. Here take this.” He bent and lifted a very new and gleaming sword from a bag off the bench, passing it to me with a smile. “It is yours. I had it crafted for you by our sword smithy. Consider it a belated eighteenth birthday gift.”

  It was gorgeous. The most beautiful blade. I h
eld it up, balancing it horizontally across the tips of my two index fingers. Perfect. I flipped the blade ninety degrees and allowed the fine hilt to slide snugly into my palm. “Thank you.” I looked at my mother, who nibbled on her lower lip.

  “Hey.” I hugged her. “I’ll be back.”

  “You better be. I didn’t spend the last eighteen years watching you grow for no reason.”

  Releasing her, I ’ported to my room. After throwing water on my face, I changed, dressing in a figure hugging cat suit of black. I belted my sword at my side and it blended with ease into the brassy strip that ran down the side.

  Stretching, I ran my shaky hands over both legs.

  I was going in to fight, and I would not be backing down.

  Popping another two painkillers into my mouth, I washed them down with water. I’d taken some this morning out of habit, and if they helped, then I’d take that advantage.

  I opened my link to Belle.

  Do you have anything yet? I fanned my face, feeling a new sheen of sweat.

  No, still nothing. It is as Davio said–there’s no record of a skill like yours.

  I heard the failure in her tone. Hey, you tried.

  And I will not stop looking. But you need to return. Please. Davio is in the training hall, going at it with Silas.

  I flashed straight there. My father had said the time was right, and I knew that was important.

  I’m here.

  I’m coming. There was a rush to her voice.

  I turned about in the wide-open space. Davio was there, standing in form fitting black jeans and a black t-shirt, staring out the large bank of windows to the grassy meadow below. Silas stood beside him, both of them heaving deep breaths from their workout.

  I closed my eyes, working hard now to get one single breath in. I had to withhold the mind-merge, no matter what. He had to see the pain I was in–and believe this was a separate skill.

  Opening my eyes, I set my gaze on him.

  “Davio.”

  He spun around, his hand gripping his training sword. “You’re back.” There were heavy shadows under his eyes, so deep and dark I wanted to cry.