Chapter 38
The two of them talked long into54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnP0lfonXdh
the night. Vander had let her do most of it since it seemed she had a lot she54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6XJbFeLba
wanted to tell him. She talked about her childhood growing up as the third54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcEQznwMFf
eldest daughter of the Bricen royal family. Despite Kiara being a twin, she was54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYuMdviBKjE
the youngest of the two and wouldn’t gain the throne despite many of the nobles54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1M6dcW0f4
wanting her to succeed their father when it became time. Since she had been the54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVHRMRKp4N
third child, there was nothing she could do other than becoming a guard or a54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXa6tg7kGq1
priestess of Atza.
When she had just become a54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYm8VtiTuh
teenager, she was praying when she was enveloped in a pillar of fire. That was54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn36qor8pOi
the first time she heard Atza’s voice proclaiming her the chosen, gifting her a54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLORv4uo4Y
shard. Contrary to what Eluvia does, everyone knows who has the shard and they54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2MeQlpNRl
are treated like royalty. They are also free to choose their own path so once54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMw4tbvhgA
she discovered she was meant to be partnered with someone from Eluvia, her54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsaQS3mGex
father had given her permission to go with Eliza to fulfill the peace treaty.54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNojb0pZRx
She had been nervous upon reaching Eluvia because she didn’t know what kind of54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSK82rHkuQs
person her mate would have been. As she grew closer to the city, the feeling54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqqgOfoTF1
became stronger. She could sense him, the kind of person he was. He was lost,54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW1JTecdvO7
unsure of himself, and she knew then that he would need her, for as long as54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lf0bdRS49
possible.
She also talked a lot about her54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkNve64dCX
interests. She enjoyed fighting for sure, but she also had fun just taking54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Cb7PRCL1C
walks through nature. There weren’t many forests in Bricen, but she would love54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0cYGxI7PoW
to go exploring with him if given the opportunity. She also enjoys swimming but54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXg6HrElt3S
had never been to the ocean. She made him promise to take her once all of this54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoW3GXTYGXQ
was over, so he agreed. He also needed a break to unwind from everything.
He told her a little bit about54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpz2Kt7hNL
himself as well. He had never known his parents. He was raised by his54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡofmF8q8ps0
grandfather who never spoke much about them and likely never would. It was a54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZOfFpcTOyO
wound too painful to open, so Vander never pried. The people who invited them54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51jS9iEnvR
into her home were Malcolm and his wife. He and Cuvera had grown up like54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHRg3lOkba
brothers. They did everything together and were inseparable until he had to54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRM4aonqTF
learn how to be a King and Vander, a Blade. However, they had vowed to be there54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvGwlZZTvm
for each other, no matter what.
He had received his shard when he54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9t5MP8wKa
was a Blade trainee. He explained to her the story that he told Kiara; however,54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4XFBe3bJe2
he hadn’t mentioned the tooth had taken as a souvenir before, but he didn’t54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfn6rXpxAi
want to keep anything from Eliza. He kept it as a reminder of the life he had54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeuy1pmvLrb
taken. It had been his first kill and despite doing it to save his comrades, he54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAMBFZAkRN9
still felt bad about it. Shea had been too young to remember it, but she54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupgAHDrx0R
accepted her friend’s reasoning. Her mother had asked him to take care of her54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6XowIJJWX6
child, so he had. So, it was also a reminder of the promise he made.
After all the talking, his eyes54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7EvCRWe5tE
were growing heavy. He had fallen asleep while she continued. He found himself54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOfPrZ18G9
slipping off and soon, it all went black.
When he awakened, he found himself54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdf0jHjQnh
drooling into her shoulder. Her head was lying on top of his. He could hear her54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MzdSpje5p
snoring in his ear. He carefully removed his head from under hers, but the54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FzGtIf7wH
sudden movement caused her to fall over, so her head was resting upon his lap.54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvmW8mdhiwC
He couldn’t resist the urge to stroke her hair. It must have felt good because54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXuVAphPsqA
she moaned into his lap then shifted to give him more access. He smiled looking54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTSD9skbKU
down at her. She looked so adorable sleeping that he had to resist the urge to54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEmhpLkHttA
pinch her cheeks.
After a half hour, her eyes54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnas8TTiXuW
fluttered open. She looked up at him with a small smile on her face. “Good54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJazRsDHad
morning.” She whispered.
“Good morning.” He smiled down at54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2pTjlAadJA
her. She sat up, rubbing her eyes while she yawned.
“Despite the terrible54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfeTwmcD0W
arrangements, I slept quite well.” She beamed. “I hope you slept well too.”
“I’ll sleep even better once I’m54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYlV4XI6oJc
back in my own room.” He stretched, thankful to be removing the knots from his54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROxHf8GKNP
back.
“Hopefully that will be soon.”
“I wouldn’t count on it.” Vander54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTvHaA1URt
and Eliza jumped to their feet as a voice spoke up from the corner of the cell.54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWRuqlz2X2
A fully cloaked figure stepped out from the shadows holding an unconscious54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrht8H3UPL
woman over her shoulder. Vander recognized her as Kiara.
“Let her go!” Eliza charged Fang,54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bnCbIlNUT
but the assassin sidestepped then brought her hand down on the back of the54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3nJoUl5v9
woman’s neck. Eliza’s eyes rolled towards the back of her head before falling54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7j6nJ9yLCP
unconscious. Before Vander could attack them, Fang dropped a small ball which54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3DLcvXQDu
exploded black smoke all over the cell.
“Come find me in the village54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX93Zm0wN4l
called Woodsedge.” The voice echoed through the small room. “We will settle54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KJUmaSxbr
this there, Shard of Unna.” The last thing Vander saw before passing out was54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNtmjAVCeVV
Fang scooping up Eliza then disappearing into the shadows.
…
Someone slapped Vander awake. His54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBKG9PDrRC
eyes fluttered open as he jumped to his feet. He was still inside his cell, but54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7sX7nQ6T7v
he could feel Eliza anywhere. He turned around to see Cuvera standing there54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrAdAELVQ88
with a panicked expression on his face.
“Where is Kiara?” Cuvera shouted.54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42QesPADsE
“What happened?”
“Woodsedge.” Vander gasped out.54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZkR6ssCyNz
“Fang came in here, stepped out from the shadows, with Kiara on her back. She54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYX5d8IEtC
took Eliza as well before knocking me unconscious.”
“How did she get in?” Cuvera54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rKgv54IpG
demanded. “How did she get past you?”
“I don’t know, Cuvera.” He54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0p7HAcdZoc
explained. “Once minute Eliza and I were talking, then Fang came out from54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjoAUBi3A0Y
inside that corner. It all happened so fast; I could even react.”
“Well, we know where they are.”54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbe7u1cYyH
Cuvera left the cell leaving the door unlocked. “Let’s go get them back.”
“Cuvera no.” Vander shook his54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4S86IKAl8
head. “You are too important to risk on the front lines. Let me go.”
“I will send the army.” Cuvera54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUDaMamAkQ
growled. “I will burn that damned village to the ground to get them back.”
“Send me.” Vander said. “I can get54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrR3QT22HC
there and bring them out safely. Let me make this up to you. Let me get them54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡATizl2z6rR
back.”
“You just returned to me Vander; I54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsws51PhKkF
can’t ask you to put yourself at risk again.” But Vander was adamant, he54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlVJ1j2Tdd
wouldn’t be swayed. Seeing the determination in his friend’s eyes, Cuvera54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZzemCt9cHj
relented, but he wouldn’t send Vander out alone. He instructed the guards to54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBHIj4wt52S
get Vander’s squad back, Alexander included. Since he had done nothing wrong,54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMkPh7M2xKA
he was safe. He instructed Vander to head to his room and get changed while he54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2WS7rD5moo
made the necessary preparations. If anyone from the council got in his way, he54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46j95huJY3
would deal with them. No one would get in Vander’s way to get their women back.
Vander rushed up the steps, past54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbffKpaXDA
the guards, who didn’t even make a move to recapture him. Once he got to his54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhWb7sEitA
room, he was tackled by Shea. He hadn’t been expecting her, so he fell to the54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJ9n9T7T9i
ground with her teeth a hairsbreadth away from his throat. She was pissed, and54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRNxjylIIl
rightfully so, but she would have her chance to vent her frustrations once54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVJDvcwhZUK
Eliza and Kiara were safe and sound.
He quickly got dressed then54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqNeYPsvp4
reached for the sword that had been his partner for almost five years. It felt54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPNifKQIRmd
good having it back within his grasp and he knew that the next time someone54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2d0orB1fB
took it from him would be over his dead body. He threw on a forest green cloak54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRd7jn0BMXR
over his uniform then headed outside where he knew the others would be waiting.
Alex and the trainees were waiting54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgP3Y4nmrn
with grim faces on the front lawn. Cuvera was with them issuing orders when54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGEuQ7e4QX
Vander arrived. It looked as though Cuvera worked fast at giving them horses54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2T1jDAeXWT
and supplies, but they would be traveling lightly. The journey would take them54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTQJSiDfFT
a day at the most, but the longer they took the more danger the two of them54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJnSi5Bvpw
would be in. They would have to go quick, but pace themselves so they weren’t54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQFM0mRwyG
exhausted fighting.
“Tell me again why we aren’t54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0yHgus16Ir
sending more soldiers with us?” Forest asked. “We won’t be enough to take on54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrkGDRxusJ
the entire group, no matter how strong Vander and Alexander are.”
“It will take time to mobilize54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHwaNW0ke5W
them.” Vander interrupted. “They will be a day behind us, we just have to hold54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWudpQqB7gM
out until then.”
“It’s good to see you, Captain.”54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnAsCb9B5ZM
Rooster nodded. “I wish it was under better circumstances.”
“We can discuss all that later.”54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMK9d8d9CFw
Vander said. “Cuvera, I will bring her back, I promise.”
“I know you will.” Cuvera gave him54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNxIklTrosB
a strained smile. “If you do, I will make sure you are pardoned for whatever54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIIBnaYddxj
crimes Peyton claims you did. I know that the assassin couldn’t have gotten in54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBPitZmqd0
without help, so I will have people investigate Peyton’s whereabouts while you54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsiWSkXt7FB
are gone.”
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“Alright, let’s go then.” Vander54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjsT1Qkgblh
grabbed the reins of his horse then hauled himself onto its back. “We have a54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFRC8AqaUb
queen and princess to save.”
