Chapter 38
The two of them talked long into70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59hLtTXBFW
the night. Vander had let her do most of it since it seemed she had a lot she70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSjOBf9KCx7
wanted to tell him. She talked about her childhood growing up as the third70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8FdU7EhD7
eldest daughter of the Bricen royal family. Despite Kiara being a twin, she was70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJU0JRTb8OP
the youngest of the two and wouldn’t gain the throne despite many of the nobles70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeIC7iN8uBU
wanting her to succeed their father when it became time. Since she had been the70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrQYhAgY6B
third child, there was nothing she could do other than becoming a guard or a70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepPMafjJDT
priestess of Atza.
When she had just become a70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJfLWGTy5L
teenager, she was praying when she was enveloped in a pillar of fire. That was70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY7XGX2B8Lf
the first time she heard Atza’s voice proclaiming her the chosen, gifting her a70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMmAI2o5Qbb
shard. Contrary to what Eluvia does, everyone knows who has the shard and they70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4XlxZWI1J
are treated like royalty. They are also free to choose their own path so once70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJIJNOJoYnC
she discovered she was meant to be partnered with someone from Eluvia, her70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSCO1uv2TG
father had given her permission to go with Eliza to fulfill the peace treaty.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6bcRaQOzog
She had been nervous upon reaching Eluvia because she didn’t know what kind of70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2a9q98cmK8
person her mate would have been. As she grew closer to the city, the feeling70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCq0Z5bleaH
became stronger. She could sense him, the kind of person he was. He was lost,70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlopUUW9NmX
unsure of himself, and she knew then that he would need her, for as long as70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxFzQsgoQJ
possible.
She also talked a lot about her70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJkYVXfqCz
interests. She enjoyed fighting for sure, but she also had fun just taking70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuynb61dqBq
walks through nature. There weren’t many forests in Bricen, but she would love70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKr9c2KIl5
to go exploring with him if given the opportunity. She also enjoys swimming but70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡADyIHDgycd
had never been to the ocean. She made him promise to take her once all of this70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0ubGpb6ED
was over, so he agreed. He also needed a break to unwind from everything.
He told her a little bit about70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6YJwWjFt1B
himself as well. He had never known his parents. He was raised by his70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJFlINwnwI
grandfather who never spoke much about them and likely never would. It was a70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8POB8BSoP5
wound too painful to open, so Vander never pried. The people who invited them70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDiwHFLgiW
into her home were Malcolm and his wife. He and Cuvera had grown up like70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe6il6IPWjE
brothers. They did everything together and were inseparable until he had to70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5R7zEQfgyA
learn how to be a King and Vander, a Blade. However, they had vowed to be there70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePo7G5TsEp
for each other, no matter what.
He had received his shard when he70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rQPvBGfg5
was a Blade trainee. He explained to her the story that he told Kiara; however,70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrIBhpLarAy
he hadn’t mentioned the tooth had taken as a souvenir before, but he didn’t70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpylOAZ0uYn
want to keep anything from Eliza. He kept it as a reminder of the life he had70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXT7El6zXg
taken. It had been his first kill and despite doing it to save his comrades, he70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2cchuQjUpk
still felt bad about it. Shea had been too young to remember it, but she70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59GuM849zt
accepted her friend’s reasoning. Her mother had asked him to take care of her70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWu57TnmZ4I
child, so he had. So, it was also a reminder of the promise he made.
After all the talking, his eyes70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9EkvFwJYvZ
were growing heavy. He had fallen asleep while she continued. He found himself70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47PhHSAf7h
slipping off and soon, it all went black.
When he awakened, he found himself70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkBxuc8ZMu
drooling into her shoulder. Her head was lying on top of his. He could hear her70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZaopcgD9Q
snoring in his ear. He carefully removed his head from under hers, but the70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHDMHoIqz9
sudden movement caused her to fall over, so her head was resting upon his lap.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBAiOPHOBt
He couldn’t resist the urge to stroke her hair. It must have felt good because70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYGGaxyrp4
she moaned into his lap then shifted to give him more access. He smiled looking70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQ1CyZwyTI
down at her. She looked so adorable sleeping that he had to resist the urge to70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9tre8HvvTw
pinch her cheeks.
After a half hour, her eyes70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGI7TKG4ou1
fluttered open. She looked up at him with a small smile on her face. “Good70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAWWmuFL04
morning.” She whispered.
“Good morning.” He smiled down at70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrptTwzd87r
her. She sat up, rubbing her eyes while she yawned.
“Despite the terrible70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDEeFjXL0v5
arrangements, I slept quite well.” She beamed. “I hope you slept well too.”
“I’ll sleep even better once I’m70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK62I6T6nIl
back in my own room.” He stretched, thankful to be removing the knots from his70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEWIS78lfQD
back.
“Hopefully that will be soon.”
“I wouldn’t count on it.” Vander70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgSMkflGIEQ
and Eliza jumped to their feet as a voice spoke up from the corner of the cell.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAs3MrvtRi
A fully cloaked figure stepped out from the shadows holding an unconscious70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuSs5GWlsr
woman over her shoulder. Vander recognized her as Kiara.
“Let her go!” Eliza charged Fang,70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1zbA9DwXt8
but the assassin sidestepped then brought her hand down on the back of the70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82pvv0Ohkz
woman’s neck. Eliza’s eyes rolled towards the back of her head before falling70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkC6NnA3VMT
unconscious. Before Vander could attack them, Fang dropped a small ball which70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6olJbvMXy4
exploded black smoke all over the cell.
“Come find me in the village70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZpv8aavSUT
called Woodsedge.” The voice echoed through the small room. “We will settle70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKzMxm6ien5
this there, Shard of Unna.” The last thing Vander saw before passing out was70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDCX6jQ6hn
Fang scooping up Eliza then disappearing into the shadows.
…
Someone slapped Vander awake. His70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZA8B8LMq1Y
eyes fluttered open as he jumped to his feet. He was still inside his cell, but70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJLrQgfgRP
he could feel Eliza anywhere. He turned around to see Cuvera standing there70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJx05QL2zG
with a panicked expression on his face.
“Where is Kiara?” Cuvera shouted.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW3nCh9cisB
“What happened?”
“Woodsedge.” Vander gasped out.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1CZ4dSxkv
“Fang came in here, stepped out from the shadows, with Kiara on her back. She70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSndem9D6g9
took Eliza as well before knocking me unconscious.”
“How did she get in?” Cuvera70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zny9Xctpa
demanded. “How did she get past you?”
“I don’t know, Cuvera.” He70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF9va6pn20A
explained. “Once minute Eliza and I were talking, then Fang came out from70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHSlmBqgZMc
inside that corner. It all happened so fast; I could even react.”
“Well, we know where they are.”70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxgb42RQiCV
Cuvera left the cell leaving the door unlocked. “Let’s go get them back.”
“Cuvera no.” Vander shook his70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ4v1xtXsez
head. “You are too important to risk on the front lines. Let me go.”
“I will send the army.” Cuvera70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb7F2eonHHQ
growled. “I will burn that damned village to the ground to get them back.”
“Send me.” Vander said. “I can get70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4zsiZZj1p
there and bring them out safely. Let me make this up to you. Let me get them70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGDW36t4EOY
back.”
“You just returned to me Vander; I70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkfyi7dKSP
can’t ask you to put yourself at risk again.” But Vander was adamant, he70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kYXallGLc
wouldn’t be swayed. Seeing the determination in his friend’s eyes, Cuvera70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ98q5i73IpS
relented, but he wouldn’t send Vander out alone. He instructed the guards to70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gZwStFK7h
get Vander’s squad back, Alexander included. Since he had done nothing wrong,70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lVPKiGGpD
he was safe. He instructed Vander to head to his room and get changed while he70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgD2w43J9yn
made the necessary preparations. If anyone from the council got in his way, he70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw23CrmX9Gl
would deal with them. No one would get in Vander’s way to get their women back.
Vander rushed up the steps, past70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOexQW4cTnT
the guards, who didn’t even make a move to recapture him. Once he got to his70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXvHaw4L59
room, he was tackled by Shea. He hadn’t been expecting her, so he fell to the70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHflz8vamdq
ground with her teeth a hairsbreadth away from his throat. She was pissed, and70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡceJJprPqJ7
rightfully so, but she would have her chance to vent her frustrations once70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0SK6ghEN1
Eliza and Kiara were safe and sound.
He quickly got dressed then70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xoVWWLBhj
reached for the sword that had been his partner for almost five years. It felt70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2cmMWbojy
good having it back within his grasp and he knew that the next time someone70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqF4enPsac1
took it from him would be over his dead body. He threw on a forest green cloak70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhkhPOnw9l
over his uniform then headed outside where he knew the others would be waiting.
Alex and the trainees were waiting70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTQmkOUitRt
with grim faces on the front lawn. Cuvera was with them issuing orders when70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6uyKDwZaUv
Vander arrived. It looked as though Cuvera worked fast at giving them horses70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVrPs3hmga
and supplies, but they would be traveling lightly. The journey would take them70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2w2Li4wkLq
a day at the most, but the longer they took the more danger the two of them70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtkyhk6FepK
would be in. They would have to go quick, but pace themselves so they weren’t70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bJoNEXPfU
exhausted fighting.
“Tell me again why we aren’t70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwg9NRZgQtl
sending more soldiers with us?” Forest asked. “We won’t be enough to take on70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnT5dU95uS3
the entire group, no matter how strong Vander and Alexander are.”
“It will take time to mobilize70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMhFzJVvhT
them.” Vander interrupted. “They will be a day behind us, we just have to hold70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt1r2MLifvS
out until then.”
“It’s good to see you, Captain.”70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjqoUAouwZQ
Rooster nodded. “I wish it was under better circumstances.”
“We can discuss all that later.”70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVaIXAIjQkL
Vander said. “Cuvera, I will bring her back, I promise.”
“I know you will.” Cuvera gave him70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhzy1TNN4O
a strained smile. “If you do, I will make sure you are pardoned for whatever70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4fHXrLqeV
crimes Peyton claims you did. I know that the assassin couldn’t have gotten in70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63qSXgYL33
without help, so I will have people investigate Peyton’s whereabouts while you70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeUwQPVRVHm
are gone.”
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“Alright, let’s go then.” Vander70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavuDfixfOK
grabbed the reins of his horse then hauled himself onto its back. “We have a70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJCAXvgzdtj
queen and princess to save.”
