Bodyguards by Kallysten

Author:Kallysten [Kallysten]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Unknown publisher
Published: 2013-06-13T04:00:00+00:00

* * * *

Aedan’s frantic words stayed with Bradan all the way to the lake, urging him onward. “They might be waiting for her behind the shields! If she crosses them on her own...”

As concerned as he was, though, Bradan couldn’t imagine that Vivien would be reckless enough to walk through the shields by herself. She had seen the guards in action, she knew what they could do, and she wasn’t stupid.

It had taken Bradan a little longer than usual to get dressed, both because his healing arm still bothered him and because the remnants of an indistinct dream made him uneasy. By the time he was done, however, and striding downstairs at Aedan’s side, he knew exactly where to look for Vivien. She might claim she didn’t remember, but he was sure she had more memories than she realized. The view from the cliff had touched her, he just knew it. And there was another place that she had loved as a child, as much as the cliff if not more.

When he reached the top of the slope and looked down, he wasn’t surprised to find her seated on a boulder, her feet batting at the water in what looked like an unconscious gesture. He had half a mind to tell her how worried she’d made them, which was as close to a scolding as he could imagine himself giving her, but when she turned that bright smile on him and asked him to join her, all he could do was smile back and obey.

He sat by her side, leaving enough space between them to be proper. This early in the morning the water was cool enough that he curled his toes in surprise. It had been a long time since he had swum in the lake.

“The water gets warmer in the afternoon, if you feel like taking a swim.”

“I didn’t bring a swimsuit,” she said, a little wistful. “Maybe we could go back and grab one. And some coffee while we’re at it.” She paused, and when she continued, her voice was lower. “Or we could just stay there.”

Bradan would have liked nothing better than to say yes. It wasn’t that easy, though. On Earth, any shield he put up to protect her would eventually fail; any use of the Quickening there was bound to dissipate sooner rather than later. Here, not only could Bradan accomplish more with the Quickening, he also could count on the channelers that had come before him. Shields had existed over the castle and its grounds for so long that Bradan had only needed to channel at them to reactivate them. Even after decades of disuse, they’d sprung back into place, more complex than he could have hoped to accomplish on his own.

He could have offered to take her home for a little while, but a few hours spent there would mean days in Foh’Ran, and they couldn’t afford to lose that much time.

“When things have calmed down,” he said slowly. “When we’re sure you’re safe—”

“We,” she cut in.

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