Chapter 38
The two of them talked long into95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ189vdnK5oL
the night. Vander had let her do most of it since it seemed she had a lot she95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqwALk9xkV
wanted to tell him. She talked about her childhood growing up as the third95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTgKtFSeUw
eldest daughter of the Bricen royal family. Despite Kiara being a twin, she was95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqmdOZdgsz
the youngest of the two and wouldn’t gain the throne despite many of the nobles95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19dncyzbVy
wanting her to succeed their father when it became time. Since she had been the95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgBJwPWU6r
third child, there was nothing she could do other than becoming a guard or a95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2TumdRvAb9
priestess of Atza.
When she had just become a95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpGqKHGO1zF
teenager, she was praying when she was enveloped in a pillar of fire. That was95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rVC1WO6MV
the first time she heard Atza’s voice proclaiming her the chosen, gifting her a95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLNM9Cx5wa
shard. Contrary to what Eluvia does, everyone knows who has the shard and they95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN412jqH4i0
are treated like royalty. They are also free to choose their own path so once95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJWqSxbpWe
she discovered she was meant to be partnered with someone from Eluvia, her95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7JhOpvXgo
father had given her permission to go with Eliza to fulfill the peace treaty.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAh33pnyLBg
She had been nervous upon reaching Eluvia because she didn’t know what kind of95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXpMK7jTowK
person her mate would have been. As she grew closer to the city, the feeling95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhijlJp8VWm
became stronger. She could sense him, the kind of person he was. He was lost,95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQuTRp39z0
unsure of himself, and she knew then that he would need her, for as long as95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ878OSVtxNQ
possible.
She also talked a lot about her95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsdIYoiwCVQ
interests. She enjoyed fighting for sure, but she also had fun just taking95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTO7ehNYq1s
walks through nature. There weren’t many forests in Bricen, but she would love95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5chf1Nkxs
to go exploring with him if given the opportunity. She also enjoys swimming but95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZkF52vo2M
had never been to the ocean. She made him promise to take her once all of this95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwcFWD7ryGE
was over, so he agreed. He also needed a break to unwind from everything.
He told her a little bit about95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP1QMfd7SjN
himself as well. He had never known his parents. He was raised by his95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRk3jZnpZ1d
grandfather who never spoke much about them and likely never would. It was a95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgiWaotX5nP
wound too painful to open, so Vander never pried. The people who invited them95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5gIWkjZfE7
into her home were Malcolm and his wife. He and Cuvera had grown up like95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsoO3hwNNtX
brothers. They did everything together and were inseparable until he had to95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAsrcv1rP9b
learn how to be a King and Vander, a Blade. However, they had vowed to be there95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3KZNNeajHC
for each other, no matter what.
He had received his shard when he95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhuHKXQuqV
was a Blade trainee. He explained to her the story that he told Kiara; however,95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrHpypVjlW
he hadn’t mentioned the tooth had taken as a souvenir before, but he didn’t95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtOTwvA81Rx
want to keep anything from Eliza. He kept it as a reminder of the life he had95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7EyoSxTg1Y
taken. It had been his first kill and despite doing it to save his comrades, he95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgdPuonZlPl
still felt bad about it. Shea had been too young to remember it, but she95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYGcJwqzx2e
accepted her friend’s reasoning. Her mother had asked him to take care of her95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThxlUGsXgJ
child, so he had. So, it was also a reminder of the promise he made.
After all the talking, his eyes95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡesthUCmN1b
were growing heavy. He had fallen asleep while she continued. He found himself95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡweErQ98sma
slipping off and soon, it all went black.
When he awakened, he found himself95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKa4CINPdQt
drooling into her shoulder. Her head was lying on top of his. He could hear her95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbIclSpLXr
snoring in his ear. He carefully removed his head from under hers, but the95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ435KVrXmUh
sudden movement caused her to fall over, so her head was resting upon his lap.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMQBcjHeQj
He couldn’t resist the urge to stroke her hair. It must have felt good because95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOtCTt5qBNb
she moaned into his lap then shifted to give him more access. He smiled looking95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnFRuanBiR
down at her. She looked so adorable sleeping that he had to resist the urge to95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5v7KZRoQZb
pinch her cheeks.
After a half hour, her eyes95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkx47QqoxS
fluttered open. She looked up at him with a small smile on her face. “Good95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0fS7nTyR6
morning.” She whispered.
“Good morning.” He smiled down at95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5MIqA43in
her. She sat up, rubbing her eyes while she yawned.
“Despite the terrible95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqxPKmX2p4T
arrangements, I slept quite well.” She beamed. “I hope you slept well too.”
“I’ll sleep even better once I’m95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNSfrSNTeE
back in my own room.” He stretched, thankful to be removing the knots from his95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuelnXcDwkW
back.
“Hopefully that will be soon.”
“I wouldn’t count on it.” Vander95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2jvOZMptG
and Eliza jumped to their feet as a voice spoke up from the corner of the cell.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCbuypmvrd
A fully cloaked figure stepped out from the shadows holding an unconscious95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjwsNL1qg8
woman over her shoulder. Vander recognized her as Kiara.
“Let her go!” Eliza charged Fang,95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VO4ygoVQi
but the assassin sidestepped then brought her hand down on the back of the95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQs2IRbuVcJ
woman’s neck. Eliza’s eyes rolled towards the back of her head before falling95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeemj8L5M4N
unconscious. Before Vander could attack them, Fang dropped a small ball which95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4weL74R2yf
exploded black smoke all over the cell.
“Come find me in the village95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCeXn4eZmD
called Woodsedge.” The voice echoed through the small room. “We will settle95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyjok4hLSVf
this there, Shard of Unna.” The last thing Vander saw before passing out was95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXIoQSEgDj2
Fang scooping up Eliza then disappearing into the shadows.
…
Someone slapped Vander awake. His95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHDyzudBHm
eyes fluttered open as he jumped to his feet. He was still inside his cell, but95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvQUIKNghe
he could feel Eliza anywhere. He turned around to see Cuvera standing there95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMEaCyCAY5L
with a panicked expression on his face.
“Where is Kiara?” Cuvera shouted.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1c4Z8MiM5j
“What happened?”
“Woodsedge.” Vander gasped out.95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu8PZ1TqPH0
“Fang came in here, stepped out from the shadows, with Kiara on her back. She95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpltNTlYaGY
took Eliza as well before knocking me unconscious.”
“How did she get in?” Cuvera95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5o9aXPIqTp
demanded. “How did she get past you?”
“I don’t know, Cuvera.” He95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkcwHKC4YGz
explained. “Once minute Eliza and I were talking, then Fang came out from95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaXevyM3hO
inside that corner. It all happened so fast; I could even react.”
“Well, we know where they are.”95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8J63NO2CJc
Cuvera left the cell leaving the door unlocked. “Let’s go get them back.”
“Cuvera no.” Vander shook his95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYhvJGZpFQ
head. “You are too important to risk on the front lines. Let me go.”
“I will send the army.” Cuvera95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwO8qPAPnmr
growled. “I will burn that damned village to the ground to get them back.”
“Send me.” Vander said. “I can get95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3T5bwVNCx
there and bring them out safely. Let me make this up to you. Let me get them95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmezutE6zqo
back.”
“You just returned to me Vander; I95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyX9EZJrHXZ
can’t ask you to put yourself at risk again.” But Vander was adamant, he95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjqWG8zE5I
wouldn’t be swayed. Seeing the determination in his friend’s eyes, Cuvera95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIId6FXuqLF
relented, but he wouldn’t send Vander out alone. He instructed the guards to95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNF2rYrh8yE
get Vander’s squad back, Alexander included. Since he had done nothing wrong,95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqhqvfCF0MU
he was safe. He instructed Vander to head to his room and get changed while he95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DYlTQajrn
made the necessary preparations. If anyone from the council got in his way, he95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡodKDhCEmvB
would deal with them. No one would get in Vander’s way to get their women back.
Vander rushed up the steps, past95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVsX9SaFim1
the guards, who didn’t even make a move to recapture him. Once he got to his95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIwVKVmFZcm
room, he was tackled by Shea. He hadn’t been expecting her, so he fell to the95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9g1eevTaTm
ground with her teeth a hairsbreadth away from his throat. She was pissed, and95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGL83Pgn4hK
rightfully so, but she would have her chance to vent her frustrations once95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYD5cnL8Ym
Eliza and Kiara were safe and sound.
He quickly got dressed then95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTw0bgfO9gX
reached for the sword that had been his partner for almost five years. It felt95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5knhdR4UnJ
good having it back within his grasp and he knew that the next time someone95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTm80i471js
took it from him would be over his dead body. He threw on a forest green cloak95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJ19ydUeu1
over his uniform then headed outside where he knew the others would be waiting.
Alex and the trainees were waiting95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQYxfkGFXXy
with grim faces on the front lawn. Cuvera was with them issuing orders when95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9L6UYrC3I
Vander arrived. It looked as though Cuvera worked fast at giving them horses95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ8xa8nfDmx
and supplies, but they would be traveling lightly. The journey would take them95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4YGGfYV0p
a day at the most, but the longer they took the more danger the two of them95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9sUByyUUL
would be in. They would have to go quick, but pace themselves so they weren’t95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA11ZzrFnUO
exhausted fighting.
“Tell me again why we aren’t95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJQfO8E4Tb
sending more soldiers with us?” Forest asked. “We won’t be enough to take on95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6zIzZvRzt
the entire group, no matter how strong Vander and Alexander are.”
“It will take time to mobilize95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rG7fiF4n0
them.” Vander interrupted. “They will be a day behind us, we just have to hold95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTJTkb60qn
out until then.”
“It’s good to see you, Captain.”95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyjRAn7UsAv
Rooster nodded. “I wish it was under better circumstances.”
“We can discuss all that later.”95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFN5pUa7Qi
Vander said. “Cuvera, I will bring her back, I promise.”
“I know you will.” Cuvera gave him95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGjgAP2Tlcx
a strained smile. “If you do, I will make sure you are pardoned for whatever95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnnYwfEOrx
crimes Peyton claims you did. I know that the assassin couldn’t have gotten in95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3cvsKad2KO
without help, so I will have people investigate Peyton’s whereabouts while you95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUI3S53CJOP
are gone.”
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“Alright, let’s go then.” Vander95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0U110FkoUG
grabbed the reins of his horse then hauled himself onto its back. “We have a95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfS0jcGU4db
queen and princess to save.”
