Chapter 38
The two of them talked long into96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIYIqeRccD
the night. Vander had let her do most of it since it seemed she had a lot she96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQqvFSeUrn
wanted to tell him. She talked about her childhood growing up as the third96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMOP2ucz0m
eldest daughter of the Bricen royal family. Despite Kiara being a twin, she was96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRTBZtYpcuA
the youngest of the two and wouldn’t gain the throne despite many of the nobles96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YBsDxgOs4
wanting her to succeed their father when it became time. Since she had been the96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3AKDP93Jx
third child, there was nothing she could do other than becoming a guard or a96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG3LH8lt5PS
priestess of Atza.
When she had just become a96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0k7WNDSwv8
teenager, she was praying when she was enveloped in a pillar of fire. That was96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbjViLukVg
the first time she heard Atza’s voice proclaiming her the chosen, gifting her a96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEjIPEYJavB
shard. Contrary to what Eluvia does, everyone knows who has the shard and they96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhwx7c7GN8
are treated like royalty. They are also free to choose their own path so once96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOCCfg0r5I
she discovered she was meant to be partnered with someone from Eluvia, her96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVji4cXVKZ3
father had given her permission to go with Eliza to fulfill the peace treaty.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfGewIo0Zx
She had been nervous upon reaching Eluvia because she didn’t know what kind of96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKzPeSp2I5
person her mate would have been. As she grew closer to the city, the feeling96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85xnWgGtQz
became stronger. She could sense him, the kind of person he was. He was lost,96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8TeOYrtHi6
unsure of himself, and she knew then that he would need her, for as long as96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkO9fuVGUq
possible.
She also talked a lot about her96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdftlwl1843
interests. She enjoyed fighting for sure, but she also had fun just taking96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTXgdteN70
walks through nature. There weren’t many forests in Bricen, but she would love96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzitPxAqFSS
to go exploring with him if given the opportunity. She also enjoys swimming but96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKVJTCxOeVx
had never been to the ocean. She made him promise to take her once all of this96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFyD9r8rw7
was over, so he agreed. He also needed a break to unwind from everything.
He told her a little bit about96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVvd5Th9yD
himself as well. He had never known his parents. He was raised by his96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1pbAjhddrT
grandfather who never spoke much about them and likely never would. It was a96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36JzgkJrrE
wound too painful to open, so Vander never pried. The people who invited them96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmfnaQgWR9
into her home were Malcolm and his wife. He and Cuvera had grown up like96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSmudGku7Xo
brothers. They did everything together and were inseparable until he had to96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7h7gLdD5S
learn how to be a King and Vander, a Blade. However, they had vowed to be there96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgSYBfH3oKW
for each other, no matter what.
He had received his shard when he96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkC2gGC5yOT
was a Blade trainee. He explained to her the story that he told Kiara; however,96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDY99ZKOPxu
he hadn’t mentioned the tooth had taken as a souvenir before, but he didn’t96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnSfTwRcid3
want to keep anything from Eliza. He kept it as a reminder of the life he had96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxKsJkqpUb
taken. It had been his first kill and despite doing it to save his comrades, he96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTyBUD6L8rq
still felt bad about it. Shea had been too young to remember it, but she96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8npzALFqcp
accepted her friend’s reasoning. Her mother had asked him to take care of her96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNW3O8Pf8b
child, so he had. So, it was also a reminder of the promise he made.
After all the talking, his eyes96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRikpvwZ6KY
were growing heavy. He had fallen asleep while she continued. He found himself96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJcCbXGI8z
slipping off and soon, it all went black.
When he awakened, he found himself96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpo9MXy28g
drooling into her shoulder. Her head was lying on top of his. He could hear her96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo1LaNusViz
snoring in his ear. He carefully removed his head from under hers, but the96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPajK3zZZXE
sudden movement caused her to fall over, so her head was resting upon his lap.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj7lz5naeeb
He couldn’t resist the urge to stroke her hair. It must have felt good because96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPemJtt8Kh
she moaned into his lap then shifted to give him more access. He smiled looking96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAcyBb5Ovo0
down at her. She looked so adorable sleeping that he had to resist the urge to96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpLTRFBAoc
pinch her cheeks.
After a half hour, her eyes96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsqC9GY3ZM2
fluttered open. She looked up at him with a small smile on her face. “Good96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1obxfgYjj
morning.” She whispered.
“Good morning.” He smiled down at96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbjwnZaHSv
her. She sat up, rubbing her eyes while she yawned.
“Despite the terrible96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3Y9hmluvH
arrangements, I slept quite well.” She beamed. “I hope you slept well too.”
“I’ll sleep even better once I’m96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ytTSp5OCA
back in my own room.” He stretched, thankful to be removing the knots from his96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWCfTbsGk8
back.
“Hopefully that will be soon.”
“I wouldn’t count on it.” Vander96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5f6Sc7qms
and Eliza jumped to their feet as a voice spoke up from the corner of the cell.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24bbegpAID
A fully cloaked figure stepped out from the shadows holding an unconscious96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfs1crEDvSD
woman over her shoulder. Vander recognized her as Kiara.
“Let her go!” Eliza charged Fang,96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6BVZ4S7iP
but the assassin sidestepped then brought her hand down on the back of the96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpDC4aLX4EY
woman’s neck. Eliza’s eyes rolled towards the back of her head before falling96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ74bSOGTu5l
unconscious. Before Vander could attack them, Fang dropped a small ball which96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNtXNObGAn
exploded black smoke all over the cell.
“Come find me in the village96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC25tOPUqLG
called Woodsedge.” The voice echoed through the small room. “We will settle96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkZtWi3Lqo
this there, Shard of Unna.” The last thing Vander saw before passing out was96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPGRVjsmEI
Fang scooping up Eliza then disappearing into the shadows.
…
Someone slapped Vander awake. His96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3XWWOdKpg2
eyes fluttered open as he jumped to his feet. He was still inside his cell, but96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh546Ze75kq
he could feel Eliza anywhere. He turned around to see Cuvera standing there96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoadcQgBpHD
with a panicked expression on his face.
“Where is Kiara?” Cuvera shouted.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZVvvyE10Z
“What happened?”
“Woodsedge.” Vander gasped out.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMKecETuUw
“Fang came in here, stepped out from the shadows, with Kiara on her back. She96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBOt4arwNcT
took Eliza as well before knocking me unconscious.”
“How did she get in?” Cuvera96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxZuBU82rW
demanded. “How did she get past you?”
“I don’t know, Cuvera.” He96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuoRC1y4qTU
explained. “Once minute Eliza and I were talking, then Fang came out from96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWaEqUR6YX
inside that corner. It all happened so fast; I could even react.”
“Well, we know where they are.”96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1F0hfTOQpo
Cuvera left the cell leaving the door unlocked. “Let’s go get them back.”
“Cuvera no.” Vander shook his96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNFCNVrvDn
head. “You are too important to risk on the front lines. Let me go.”
“I will send the army.” Cuvera96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlruZH51QTD
growled. “I will burn that damned village to the ground to get them back.”
“Send me.” Vander said. “I can get96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxddXYYdIB
there and bring them out safely. Let me make this up to you. Let me get them96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHnHtDkhoN
back.”
“You just returned to me Vander; I96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡowPyVShJIk
can’t ask you to put yourself at risk again.” But Vander was adamant, he96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyuo7MysvfE
wouldn’t be swayed. Seeing the determination in his friend’s eyes, Cuvera96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZl6JyY6RI
relented, but he wouldn’t send Vander out alone. He instructed the guards to96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtKZdoMzsZr
get Vander’s squad back, Alexander included. Since he had done nothing wrong,96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUpGMGs8XD6
he was safe. He instructed Vander to head to his room and get changed while he96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2BmHwmaoq
made the necessary preparations. If anyone from the council got in his way, he96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjc3rGpQxb
would deal with them. No one would get in Vander’s way to get their women back.
Vander rushed up the steps, past96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lQutXeeED
the guards, who didn’t even make a move to recapture him. Once he got to his96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMkMoVT0M4
room, he was tackled by Shea. He hadn’t been expecting her, so he fell to the96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3CXbFo6nVH
ground with her teeth a hairsbreadth away from his throat. She was pissed, and96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPJdU3vBmd
rightfully so, but she would have her chance to vent her frustrations once96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJYavLBi4U
Eliza and Kiara were safe and sound.
He quickly got dressed then96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNjQWhhMwz
reached for the sword that had been his partner for almost five years. It felt96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡztNroReelL
good having it back within his grasp and he knew that the next time someone96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwRu1BrLkTT
took it from him would be over his dead body. He threw on a forest green cloak96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YvrEUd0QB
over his uniform then headed outside where he knew the others would be waiting.
Alex and the trainees were waiting96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSfcGfEhpgI
with grim faces on the front lawn. Cuvera was with them issuing orders when96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoKmrJucz16
Vander arrived. It looked as though Cuvera worked fast at giving them horses96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIyu3an0ys
and supplies, but they would be traveling lightly. The journey would take them96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3x4QwctWe4
a day at the most, but the longer they took the more danger the two of them96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDnEE88jsv
would be in. They would have to go quick, but pace themselves so they weren’t96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarjeHiX28D
exhausted fighting.
“Tell me again why we aren’t96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfCrDi4SNj
sending more soldiers with us?” Forest asked. “We won’t be enough to take on96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLilRAVTUz
the entire group, no matter how strong Vander and Alexander are.”
“It will take time to mobilize96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCo3eN5f7vM
them.” Vander interrupted. “They will be a day behind us, we just have to hold96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDgObv1AF2
out until then.”
“It’s good to see you, Captain.”96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxd7Db3OmC9
Rooster nodded. “I wish it was under better circumstances.”
“We can discuss all that later.”96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKrlfZSrxy
Vander said. “Cuvera, I will bring her back, I promise.”
“I know you will.” Cuvera gave him96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmphHTKlw1t
a strained smile. “If you do, I will make sure you are pardoned for whatever96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOowSgBF3V1
crimes Peyton claims you did. I know that the assassin couldn’t have gotten in96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb3Gu0HDfjh
without help, so I will have people investigate Peyton’s whereabouts while you96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbZ1ws2UN5
are gone.”
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“Alright, let’s go then.” Vander96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrqMvbg5nr9
grabbed the reins of his horse then hauled himself onto its back. “We have a96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx7ynORn75z
queen and princess to save.”
