Protector (29 page)

Davio was a blur, his legs flying as he sprang toward me. “You’re not going anywhere.”

I dived behind the pool table and rolled clear, pulling the image of the communal dining hall from my forewarning and zapping straight to it.

There was a hive of activity, but I saw Guy in an instant. He patrolled, moving about the room with grace and purpose toward the table with the greatest number of protectors.

What he was doing here? Was he on a suicide mission?

Chapter 13

Behind me the air stirred–they had all come–and Davio bolted toward me, whipping his right arm around my waist and hooking me back against him. He held me close. “Stop leaving me,” he breathed down my neck.

I wriggled against him, edging closer and not away as I should. “You were forced from me first.” I looked through the crowd, finding Guy on the move.

The enchanter stopped twenty feet away, his gaze on me as let out a low snarl.
I’m here for Loveria, and I know you hear me through your forethought.
His thoughts flew freely, easy to catch.

Which meant Guy wanted this. He wanted his own demise, and I couldn’t let him have the one he was after.

“Who is that man?” Davio ground out.

I had to make a decision and fast.

“Wait for me somewhere and we will speak,” I yelled to Guy.

He lifted his middle finger and shoved it at Davio, before stepping in behind another protector in the crowd and disappearing from my sight.

“Obviously he’s not one of yours.”

He swung me around. “You knew the warrior was here. Give me his name.”

“He’s gone.” Only he hadn’t gone as far as I’d hoped, or so my forethought showed me. Guy waited in a field of green grass, and behind him, high on a rise, was Loveria Castle.

Which meant I had to go to him, for I had no idea how long my order would stick.

Davio shook me. “Answer me.”

I fisted my hands deep in his fine black and white shirt and dragged him to me. I kissed him until my skin heated and so did his. I pulled back, breathing deeply. “I don’t have time for an argument right now.” I pushed him away and dropped, sweeping one leg out and tumbling him in a move that had my mouth opening. Oh, this had to be the start of my tripling in strength. I should not have been able to do that.

I brushed my hands off and ’ported out of the room arriving in the center of the frigidly cold river, one I’d already over-acquainted myself with this day.

I heard shouts behind me, and holding my breath I dived deep, nipping straight to the field Guy waited in.

Water flooded to my feet.

“About time.” His jaw clenched. “What the hell are you doing with Loveria? Does Donaldo allow our own to consort with theirs now?”

“No, he doesn’t, but Alexo does.” Knowing lies would only dig me into a deeper hole, I chose the truth. “You know I’m Alexo’s daughter and that he brought me here from Earth. Loveria’s cousin, Silvie, was schooled in the same town as me. We’re best friends and I met Davio through her, or it was something close to that. Davio and I are mated–that whole soul-bound thing.”

He slid one foot forward. “Hell. What’s Alexo say about this?”

I wiped at my damp face with my wet sleeve, hoping I didn’t look so much like a drowned rat, but rather like someone who knew what she was about.

“That Donaldo can’t know. Alexo reveres the mated bond and accepts I’m here with Davio. But if you wish, I’ll work hard on finding your father and our other imprisoned warriors if you promise not to breathe a word of this, to anyone.”

His eyebrows pinched together, and then slowly flattened out. “You would keep your word?”

“Yes. None of our men should have to be caged behind steel. Although I need time, and you need to give me sufficient space to find them and get them freed. Do we have a deal?”

He sauntered closer. “I’ll give you your time and keep your secret, but I want updates.” He halted, his gaze lifting to look over my head. “That castle up on the hill is a stronghold that must fall. We don’t imprison their protectors–we don’t need them behind the safety of our dome.”

I followed his line of sight, seeing blue sky over a gray-stone castle that would compare to one of rural England’s finest. “Davio is my mate and this war is not mine, but I fully agree there should be no prisoners.”

He drew his sword, pressing it into my hands. “Then this is for you. You’re Dralion’s princess and I will not leave you unarmed, mated to Loveria or not. Make sure you find my father. If you need my aid–just ask.”

I took it, curling my fingers around the burnished handle as Guy blinked away.

My fingers and toes tingled, and I closed my eyes, hearing the lightest of hums. I smiled, stroking the hilt, over and over. There was a sweet song, as if it were in my very blood and it resonated from the blade.

Around me the air moved, chilling my moist skin.

I lifted my sword arm and held it steady.

Davio appeared, and beside him Silas who held onto Belle.

“Damn it. Who told you about using a water source?” Davio was dripping wet, from head to foot.

Turning the blade in my hands over, I watched it shimmer in the sunlight. “My father.” I tracked a finger slowly down its length, whistling in appreciation. “I take it Carlisio told you where I was?”

“Yes, and where is that dark-haired warrior he saw you with?”

“He returned home.” I pulled my gaze from the weapon, looking him in the eyes. “Guy holds the skill of enchantment and is the grandson of Gilles Moyer, the warrior who first spelled the dome containment field.” I offered the information because Davio could never get to Guy, and it didn’t matter that he knew.

Davio fisted his hands at his side. “What are you doing with that sword?”

I spun the piece around and balanced it over my two index fingers, one each end of the smooth metal.

My heart pounded. “Guy gave it to me.” I pulled it back and clutched it to my chest. “I think you might have some competition–I swear I’m about to fall for this blade.”

He flicked his fingers, motioning to Silas. “Merge your mind with mine. We don’t need you getting any more aggressive with what you have in hand. Obviously, your strength is increasing. Silas brought Belle to help calm you.”

“No.” I straightened to attention, taking the hilt and gripping it in the palm of my hand. My brow rose as I stared at it. “Okay, I seriously love holding this weapon.”

He groaned. “It’s the battle skill taking you. It comes into being once one fully touches a blade.”

Silas whistled as he edged closer. “Yeah, it feels good, doesn’t it? Like the blade in your hand is singing to you.”

I twirled around, lifting the sword and swinging it in a deadly arc, aiming it directly at Silas’s head. “I wouldn’t if I were you. We’ve already gotten off to a bad start, and you’re not getting this pretty thing from me.”

“Hell.” Davio pushed a hand deep into his hair, tossing up the wet mess. “I should have guessed this would happen. Every Wincrest I know holds the battle skill. So why should you be any different.”

Belle stepped forward, her gaze on me. “Hand it over. I’ll keep your weapon safe for you. You’ll need instruction but with a blunted sword, and not that one.”

I narrowed my gaze, pointing it now at her. But she was right. I didn’t like it, but I saw the truth.

Taking my time, I lowered the weapon, pressing the tip of the blade a few inches into the soil. Pulling my hand away, I watched the hilt sway back and forth.

Best to walk away from it.

I left it behind, merging my mind with Davio’s as I advanced on him. “You are in a whole lot of trouble now. I have to have something in my hands.”

His chest rose. “Take it easy. We’ll compromise.”

I pressed my hands flat as I knocked into him. “What kind of compromise?”

“You need to train in the battle skill so you can move fully through your rising. I’ll give you Warrick and Derick to battle with, but it’ll happen under strict guard. You’ll have triple the strength, and it’ll take both of them to wear you out.”

“Ooo.” I taped his chest with my finger. “You are such a flirt.” I wanted nothing more than to come face to face with them.

He eased a hand around my waist. “Those are your increased emotions talking.”

“I like it. Now.”

“I can see.” Then he glanced over my head, but I was too late to react.

Silas snagged my arms from behind. “There should be dangerous pay now we have a Wincrest in our midst.”

I scowled over my shoulder at him. “You take all the fun out of being mated.”

He cocked a brow. “Does it look like I care? No.” To Davio, he said, “I’ll look after your mate and call Warrick and Derick. I can see this is going to be a long day.”

“I’ll see you in the training hall. I’ll have Zac and Viv meet us there.” Davio reached for Belle, taking her with him as he flashed away.

Silas came around in front. “Look, a word of warning. Davio watching over your battle training is not the best idea, particularly when these men will be raising weapons against you.” He hooked a finger into his belt. “You understand what I’m saying?”

I mimicked his pose, lifting my chin. “Yeah, that I need to take care.”

He glared. “You are worse than Silvie. Now four minutes remain. Go and see what you can find in her drawers.”

I didn’t stick around.

I nipped straight to her room and searched through her drawers, finding a pair of sky-blue shorts and two singlet tops in white and gray. I shook out the dust and dressed, tightening the string on the shorts and double layering both tops. I laced up sneakers and pulled my hair into a tight ponytail. In the training room, Warrick and Derick were ready and waiting as I returned, both dressed in full black ninja-like gear. They even had strips of black cloth tied around their foreheads. At over six feet in height and twice my size, I should have felt some form of unease, but I didn’t. The sight of them had me grinning, my blood racing through my veins at double the speed.

I wanted this. Particularly vengeance at the way Warrick had treated me. Idiot.

“Are you ready?” Silas asked, extending his hand toward the rack of training swords.

“Like you wouldn’t believe.”

“The others arrive,” he said in my ear as I joined him.

I saw them, too. Zac and Viv wore their battle leathers, the same as I’d seen that first day. Belle came through the double doors.

Silas gripped my shoulder. “One’s battle training is marked with honor, although because of who you are, we can’t afford to train you in the arena before your peers.”

I shook off his hand. “Your protectors are not my peers.”

I didn’t hear his answer though, for Davio shimmered into the room, and my attention zoomed in on him. He wore midnight pants and a billowy white shirt, with his sword belted at his side. He looked hot and so edible my mind scrambled fast to bridge the gap and merge.

He looked at me, then right past, his sight zeroing in on Warrick and Derick as they selected their blades. He headed straight for them. “I’m warning you both, inflict one unnecessary nick or scratch on my mate, then I’ll go for your blood. Keep her training clean and professional.”

He glared at Silas. “You arbitrate.” To the others, his voice boomed across the room. “Zac, you take the southern wall. Viv, the eastern. Belle, you’re on the western by the doors and I’ll take the windows. All eyes alert and make sure no one enters and disturbs these proceedings.”

They all took their positions.

I frowned, and Silas pointed to the rack. “The safety measures are necessary. Now choose your weapon.”

Walking along the line, I reached for the one whose energy hummed the strongest.

It was long and perfectly aligned, but as I wrapped my fingers around the hilt, chills raced down my spine. I focused, a dark vision curling around the edges of my mind. A forewarning, and these I couldn’t control.

I gripped the sword tighter, pushing for more as I saw a face emerge from the shadows. It was Derick, as he battled, and out of the fog, a blade punched forward, slicing deep into his stomach. He staggered, blood spurting as a man shrouded in red snatched at the gold chain at Derick’s throat, ripping it free. I gasped as the vision slid away.

I had never thought to witness anything so dark.

I struck out toward Derick. “Someone harms you, by use of this blade.” I tossed it to him. “Do you fast-heal?”

Smirking, he caught it and held it up. “Yes. We train with these blades. Getting hurt happens even though they’re blunted.”

Warrick clapped a hand to his back and laughed. “Ha, I believe I’ve cut you with that one before.” Derick grinned back at him and the two jostled shoulders together.

No, they weren’t listening and this was what my skill was about. “You have to hear me, Derick. I had forewarning. What I saw is real.”

Silas came forward, taking the sword from Derick. He ran his thumb over the engraving on the hilt. “This one is favored by Davio.” Lifting his head, he scrutinized me. “We’ll remove it today if it brings such harm as you speak. Will that do?”