To Kill a Wizard: Rose's Story (The Protectors of Tarak Book 1) (11 page)

I shrugged, lifting the liquid to my mouth and taking a deep swallow. Fire blazed down my throat, and I coughed. “What—what is this?”

He scooted closer to me and pulled the pouch to his nose. “Ah, she’s so clever. This is to ease your pain.”

I wiped the vile stuff from my lips. “How did your wife know I was hurt?”

“Wife?” he gasped with an edge of disgust. “Brenna isn’t my wife, she’s my mother.” He shook his head, his handsome face filled with shock. “I’m not married. She’s just… just young.”

I laughed. I wasn’t sure if it was with relief that he was unmarried or the soothing feeling washing over me from the medicine, but I was nearly giddy. “Thank goodness.”

He raised a brow. “You’re thankful I’m not married.”

Goddesses’ tooth. I was blushing again.

“No,” I struggled for an answer. “I’m thankful your
mother
had the sense to send this for me.”

“Brenna is the village medicine woman,” he explained, watching me closely. “She likely knew you were in pain the first time she laid eyes on you.”

I shifted beneath his gaze. “I’m thankful she’d show such kindness to a stranger.”

He picked up one of the smaller pieces of cheese and broke it in half, handing one to me. “She’s kind to everyone.” He bit into his food and chewed slowly. “You likely remind her of my sister though.” I must’ve looked startled, because he added. “She didn’t look like you, but she was also taken by the witches.”

For the first time I realized something, these people referred to The Protectors as
witches
. It was a disrespectful term for them, at best, but it made me wonder if they had actual witches in their village.

“Why do you call The Protectors witches?”

He frowned. “Because they
are
witches, just like there were wizards. They want to distance themselves from the name, so people will forget that magical people aren’t all good. But we haven’t forgotten.”

His words held a ring of truth. “Do a lot of people in Tarak call them that?”

It took him a long time to answer. “I sometimes go with the traders to different cities. Most people worship them, think they can do no wrong. But every city has a group of smart people who know those women are just as dangerous as the wizards were, they’re just better at hiding it.”

I seriously doubted it. I’d never heard of The Protectors wiping out whole towns, of killing and controlling people through Blood Magic, but I didn’t say that. There was, however, the fact that one of them had tried to kill me, and planned to kill several of us.

My head ached. The Protectors were certainly not the good guys, as I’d always thought. But they weren’t
wizards
.

“Haven’t you ever left your town?” he asked, his expression genuinely curious.

“Not much.” I admitted, reluctantly. “My father and I went on a pilgrimage to visit different shrines when I was ten…”

Suddenly, the memories of those weeks came back to me. My father had dragged me along, but showed very little interest in the shrines themselves. Instead, he’d spent most of the time meeting with strange people and going out after dark without me. Could he have been trying to find my mother even then?

“So you visited a few places?” he questioned, bringing me back to our topic.

Embarrassed, I told myself to focus. “Just the two closest major cities to us, which aren’t all that close, and a few small towns.” I hesitated. “But I never met anyone who had something bad to say about The Protectors.”

“Well, our town hates them a little more than most. Here in the valley, magic pools in a strange way. We have a lot more girls with powers than any other city. The magic rarely skips a generation, so they’re always taking our women.”

I had more questions, but the energy to ask them faded. All I wanted to do in that moment was eat. My questions could remain unanswered for a little longer. So I ate in silence, feeling my questions slip away in the face of a strange exhaustion that left no room for thought.

After my hunger was sated, I caught Asher watching me.

“What?” I asked, not sure if I could handle anything more.

To my shock, he reached out and touched my cheek.

My breath caught in my chest, and I leaned into his warm fingers.

He brushed his lips against mine.

Sparks shot from where our lips met, bringing warmth and comfort.

Our kiss deepened. The world faded away. It was only us. One heartbeat. One body.

He drew back and after a moment asked, “was that magic?”

My voice came out a whisper. “I don’t know.”

I’d now had a total of two kisses in my life, so I was hardly an expert, but this felt just
different
, in an unexplainable way.

Reaching out, he entwined his fingers with mine. “I’ve never felt this way before.”

“What way?” I asked, fearing his answer.

He frowned, hesitation marred his features. “Like…”

I held my breath.

He released my hand and raked his fingers through his golden hair. “Never mind. A girl like you…”

My heart squeezed. He didn’t need to finish his words. I knew what he wanted to say. A girl like me was too much trouble and definitely too ugly to be anything real to him.

“Forget it,” I snapped.

Hurt flashed across his face, then he dropped his head.

The aching in my heart grew more painful. If only he wasn’t so beautiful. The firelight caressed the strong lines of his jaw and danced along the stunning network of scars on his neck.

He pointed to one of the pallets, without looking up. “Go lay down, you look exhausted.”

Normally, I would’ve argued. But the truth was that I
was
exhausted. With my belly full and the medicine washing through me, I wanted nothing more than to sleep.

Standing up, I stumbled.

Asher was there in an instant, grasping my elbow, and guiding me to my pallet. He pulled back the blankets and laid me down. With extreme care, he covered me with the blankets and brushed back the hair that had fallen over my eyes.

“Rest well. I’ll be watching over you.”

I wanted to thank him, but he turned his back to me and moved away.

Closing my eyes, I feigned sleep. In that moment, I wanted to rest, but another unexpected need filled me, a need to talk to him, to touch him. My being craved him, leaving a feeling akin to an empty stomach, only it was my heart that felt hollow.

But it was foolish to feel so connected to someone so fast.

Besides, I would only stay in his village for another day or two. Just long enough to regain my strength, and perhaps, get some supplies from the locals. If I could figure out how to use the portal in town, I wouldn’t need more. Otherwise, it might be a very long journey back to The Glass Castle.

Once there… I didn’t even want to think about what it would take to free Sirena. All I had was the Goddess of Fire’s name, and maybe the Goddess of Protection’s name, if I could remember how to use it. I just had to fight an unknown number of Protectors living in The Glass Castle, Blair and her strange magic, and Clarissa and her savage powers.

And failure wasn’t an option.

Sleep tugged at me. I willed myself with all my might to give into its pull. But every time I closed my eyes, I swore I heard Sirena crying.

It was too dark to know what time it was when I awoke, but Asher’s mom watched me. She leaned against the dirt wall, her small eyes boring holes into my face.

“Where’s Asher?” I asked, glancing around in confusion.

She crossed her arms over her chest. “His household responsibilities didn’t disappear the moment you strode into our village.”

I sat up slowly, pushing the blankets down. “You’re upset with me.”

Her mouth screwed tightly. “Yes. Of course I am.”

“Why?”

Irritation flashed across her face. “Because you’re putting my son in danger, of course.”

I frowned, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “What do you mean?”

She shook her head. “Have you actually not thought about it?” Lines gathered at the corners of her frowning mouth. “Those witches are going to come for you, and Asher is going to try to stop them. He’ll be blinded by everything but his anger towards them. And I think it’ll cost him his life.”

Nothing could’ve prepared me for the images she conjured in my mind, and the sharp pangs of guilt and fear that rose inside of me, pushing away my lingering sleepiness. “I’ll tell him not to.”

She laughed. “He’s not going to be fighting just to save you. He’s going to fight until he forces them to kill him, because he wasn’t able to save his sister.”

“Oh.” My response was inadequate, but what could I say?

She sighed. Her mouth relaxing a bit as she let her head fall back against the dirt wall. “I shouldn’t be angry with you. He’s the one I’m mad at. Why does he always have to be so stubborn?”

“I’ve been called stubborn a time or two,” I said, surprised by my gut-reaction to defend him.

A humorless smile touched her lips. “You don’t understand. That boy gets something in his head, and he just can’t let it go. He’s so quick to blame himself, to let the guilt eat away at him until there’s no joy left in this world for him. I tried to tell him it wasn’t his fault, but… he’s just impossible.”

“I think I understand.” I poked one of the spots on my dress, still stiff from my blood. “They took my friend Sirena. They think they’ve won right now, but I’m going to get her back.”

She was watching me again. “You really mean that, don’t you?” Her brows furrowed. “So many girls have been taken, but only Asher was brave enough to try to get them back.”

I shrugged. “I’m not brave, but she’s my best friend. I could never leave her with those women.”

Her gaze was searching as she spoke, “well, Asher’s brave and reckless.” She hesitated. “You saw his scars…”

My curiosity leapt. “Yes.”

She stared down at the floor, her voice just above a whisper. “A Protector did that to him. Used her magic against him. Nazar was her name.” Her boot kicked at the dirt. “Every time he tried to come after his sister, he got lashes.”

My gasp sounded too loud in the silence. Asher had been tortured? Such magic sounded too much like a curse. Too much like forbidden magic. Like the Blood Magic used by the wizards.

“He tried... and tried.” Each word was laced in anger. “His injuries became so infected, he nearly died. And still, he kept trying. At least until I told him I’d slit my own throat if I lost both my children.”

I told myself to breath past the tears welling in my eyes. No wondered he’d been angry enough to kill me for being a Protector. They’d not only taken his sister from him, but they’d taken away his freewill. If I’d had even a tiny lingering doubt about my decision not to join The Protectors, it was gone now.

Noise came from above us. The hatch opened. A square of blinding sunlight came from above, and snow dropped down, lightly coating the ground below.

Asher used the ladder built into the dirt to climb down. He moved with a warrior’s grace, even carrying a small bundle in one hand. With unexpected agility, he leapt from the second step to the floor between me and his mother.

We rose to our feet.

He gave her a one-armed hug. “All done.”

She smiled up at him, and the difference between them suddenly struck me. While I was tall for a woman, Asher was still a half a head taller than me. But his mother, she was closer to Sirena’s size. And while he had the high forehead and molded cheeks of a prince, her dark eyes were deeply inset, with thick, low brows crowding over them.

If these two shared blood, it was hard to see.

He turned those startling blue eyes to me. A smile curved his lips, transforming his face. He was no longer just beautiful, but stunning. And those perfect lips, they’d kissed my own.

My throat went dry.

I didn’t realize I was touching my mouth until his gaze strayed to my hand. My cheeks heated, and his smile spread.

His mom cleared her throat. “Rose and I were just talking.”

Asher raised a brow at her serious tone. “About what?”

“About Targanus taking over her protection.”

His eyes widened as he turned to me. “You don’t think I can keep you safe,” he accused.

“That’s not it!” I reached for him, and then folded my arms to stop myself. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

His gaze blazed from my head to my toes.

“She’s right, dear. This job would be better for him.”

“Enough, mom!” A harshness had crept into his voice. “I know you want to keep me safe, but I’m not a child anymore.”

“I know you’re not, but—”

He cut her off. “This isn’t open for discussion.”

“Rose…” his mom said, waiting for me.

I felt that I was betraying Asher as I spoke. “I could be fine down here by myself.”

More silence.

“Mom, I think Rilo is waiting for you. Better head back home.” His tone just barely betrayed his frustration with her.

She started towards the stairs but paused, her hand on the dirt groove. “I love you. Do what you think is right.”

“I will,” he promised. “I love you too.”

She took a deep breath, then went up the stairs, closing the hatch behind her.

I paced away from him, my anxiety palpable.

“Do you really want Targanus here? With you?”

I stiffened at the jealousy in his tone. “No.”

He regarded me behind a mask of indifference. “Women are drawn to men like him. They think because he’s huge, he can keep them safe. But you’d think they’d realize that only means he’s never fought, his size alone scares off most men.” He paused before speaking a little softer. “I know he’s handsome, in a way that I can’t be… because…” He touched his scars, avoiding my gaze.

There it was. The hurt that I’d uncovered.

I moved without knowing what I did, coming to stand so close to him I could smell that masculine scent mixed with earth that was all him. Cautiously, I reached up and let one finger touch his jaw.

He stiffened beneath my touch, but remained still.

Tracing the lines on his jaw, I explored them as if they were the map to my own heart. The beauty of his injuries, mixed with the knowledge of the pain they’d caused him, stirred together inside of me. I wanted to hate them, but I couldn’t. Somehow I was sure he did, and that was enough to make me love them.

Rising to my tiptoes, I pressed a soft kiss to the spot just below his ear and let my lips run along one of the lines. I’d thought it’d be a chaste kiss, but the tingling racing through my body called me a liar.

“They’re beautiful,” I whispered, no more than a breath away from his skin.

He jerked away. “My scars?”

His words were filled with wonder.

I met his nervous gaze. “Yes.”

He shook his head. “You must be crazy.”

“No,” I tried to sound firm, “anyone who says differently is.”

Again, I had that feeling, like I was a part of him, or he was a part of me. His heart and mine beat as one. Our rapid breathing filled my ears.

But for the first time, I also had the strangest sense we’d done this dance before. We’d stood here before, staring at each other, on the cusp of limitless possibilities.

“I’ll be the only one guarding you.” His hands curled into fists. “You’re mine… to protect.”

“All right,” I said, hating myself for being glad he was staying with me, “but if they take me, you need to promise not to come after me.”

Anger twisted his face. “Not a chance.”

“It might never come to that, but you’re not coming after me if it does.”

He put a finger under my chin, forcing me to meet his piercing gaze. “Do you want them to take you?”

“No.”

“Then, I’d get you back.” As quick as lightning, he brushed another kiss against my lips and released me. “How are you feeling?”

My lips tingled, and my head spun. “Don’t change the subject!”

He laughed and unrolled the bundle he’d dropped on the floor, unnoticed. “I brought a game.”

“What kind of game?” I snapped my mouth closed, then opened it again. “And don’t think you can distract me.”

He knelt on the blanket and began arranging the pieces from the bundle. “It’s a game of both chance and strategy.”

My interest peaked, and I came to crouch down beside him. “I’ve actually seen drawings of this game.”

He stared at me, clearly surprised. “Can you read?”

“Our priest taught me how to read and write. He showed me maps and taught me about history too.”

Asher’s expression changed. “That was kind of him.”

“Yes.” I picked at the edge of the blanket. “I had so few friends in the village, but I counted him among them. At least when I was too young to understand he was just being kind.”

He continued setting up the pieces to the game. “I’d think a girl like you’d have a lot of friends, break a lot of hearts.”

I glanced up at him through my lashes. “No. Most of the townsfolk have lived in Duggery forever. They were like a pack of wolves, and we were the outsiders.” I shrugged. “And there were a lot of rumors about us.”

For one frightening moment, I thought he might ask what they were. But again, he surprised me.

“Even wolves can allow an outsider into their pack.” He stared at one piece, a carving of a castle. “My mom brought us to Wintercarve when I was just a babe. There were rumors about us too, but people were really welcoming. They remembered what it was like to come here alone and afraid. Most of them were the lone survivors of villages ravaged by the wizards.”

He handed me the tiny wooden castle. One of the four towers had been broken, leaving behind a sharpened edge. I ran my finger lightly along it, lost in thought.

“So,” he asked, after a time, “no man was smart enough to ignore the rumors and look at you as a woman? I find that hard to believe.”

I tried to respond in a voice as level as his. “There was a man, Hefter. He wanted to marry me.”

His hand clumsily knocked over a couple of the game pieces. “Oh.” He set them back up with care. “So will you return to him now?”

For some reason, it bothered me that he even imagined that was an option. “No, of course not.”

“Why not?” The muscles in his jaw clenched as he waited for my answer.

I drew my knees up to my chest, wondering how I could explain such a sensitive topic without giving away too much. “I didn’t want to marry him, even though he was planning on it.”

His gaze met mine. “Why would you marry someone you didn’t want to marry?”

“I wasn’t sure I could find a way out of it,” I said, hating that my words were the truth. “My father owed a lot of money. And Hefter’s father was willing to pay it off if I married his son.”

He sat up straighter and rested his muscular arms across his knees. “He sounds like a coward.”

A flash of unexpected anger coursed through me. “He was.”

He took a long time to answer. “So, should I teach you how to play this game?”

I willed myself to be glad for the change in topics. “Sure.”

He grinned. “All right. But I have to admit, I’m a bit competitive.”

I returned his smile. “So am I.”