The Alpha Knight's Promise by Jon Grace & Charlie Moses

Author:Jon Grace & Charlie Moses [Grace, Jon & Moses, Charlie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-08-23T16:00:00+00:00

18

Morning came too quickly, but it meant being able to see and speak to Emil again, so I didn't begrudge the sun too much. I rose first, used to getting up early to mind the stables and do morning chores.

I would have to speak to Ravinesh as soon as possible. I rehearsed what I was going to say as I changed my clothes quickly and washed my face. I left Emil sleeping in the room, unwilling to rouse him before I had a plan ready.

It hurt to leave him. For a hysterical moment, I feared he would disappear completely if I let him out of my sight, but I had a mission and he needed me to make sure our departure would be as easy as possible. I still had some of the coin Theo had given me, as well as what I had saved from helping at Pest's farm, and if Emil had some money we should be able to secure at least a small cart and perhaps an animal to pull it. Otherwise, I'd carry everything with me if I had to – Emil already had such a precious and heavy burden, I wouldn't add to it if I could help it.

Ravinesh was in his usual spot behind the bar, cleaning the tankards from the night before and talking with Jamille as she worked wiping down the tables and stoking the fire, which had to burn constantly now to ward off the severe cold creeping in from the North.

He looked up as I approached, and scented the air. I knew there would be nothing untoward about my scent, but I still blushed when I noticed him doing it.

"I suppose we'll have to upgrade your room," he greeted gruffly.

I winced and cleared my throat. "Emil wants to go North," I told him. "He has family there, and he's… He's pregnant. He'll need help on the journey. Protection."

Ravinesh took that in, nodding slowly. "So you're here to ask me to release you from service."

"I'll beg if I have to."

He grinned, the widest I'd ever seen him smile. "No need for that, Balian. I promised Theo a way to keep you busy, not another jail cell. You're free to leave whenever you wish to and for whatever reason you wish to. And I'd say this is a pretty damn good reason."

Relief washed over me like summer sunlight, and I smiled. "Thank you."

Jamille came back from stoking the fire, brushing soot off her hands. "Am I hearing right? You're leaving us?"

"His mate needs him more than we do, my love," Ravinesh said.

I tried to control my smile and utterly failed. Mate, my mate, yes, he needed me. It felt so good to hear it, to think it. Part of me warned against falling too fast, too hard, but it was a lost cause. I was already in so deep, there would be no climbing back out unless Emil chose to bury me in this pit and leave me for dead.

She smiled and patted my cheek.

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