The Wolf's Demand by Maggie Ryan & Shanna Handel

Author:Maggie Ryan & Shanna Handel [Ryan, Maggie & Handel, Shanna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Stormy Night Publications
Published: 2018-03-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Deo

In the courtyard of the basilica, practice had commenced. Immense gray stone walls surrounded us, providing a false sense of security to those inside. The winter grasses were brown and short. Flakes of snow swirled in the air, melting as they touched our skin, the ground. The scene was peaceful. One you could imagine in a child’s treasured snow globe. We were safe. For now.

There were several maple trees, their branches bare, standing in the center of the courtyard. Baal and Cassandra were engaged in knife play, while Draco, ever present, looked on. Cassandra was dressed head to toe in black. Out of time and forgetting she would need flexible clothing for her training, I hadn’t purchased any. When Baal had fetched Cynthia, he had also gone by our house, quickly grabbing what he could find.

My wife, looking tall and lean and athletic, was currently throwing daggers into trees. Her dark hair swung over her shoulders as she threw the blade.

Baal flashed a wide grin at me. “Deo, your girl isn’t half bad,” he exclaimed, looking back to Cassandra as the knife hit the tree with a thunk.

I watched as the handle of the dagger dissolved into the bark of the tree, leaving only a gash in the trunk as evidence it had been there.

“I did it again!” Cassandra jumped in the air, clapping her hands, her hair flying. Her sparkling green eyes turned to me, smiling.

Only my wife could be handed an enchanted blade, throw it successfully into a tree on her third attempt, and not faint as it disappeared into thin air. My heart soared. It was as I had always suspected; Cassandra was born for this life.

The irrational guilt I had carried for our entire marriage began to melt. The weight of the knowledge that Cassandra had paired herself to a demon-fighting animal had been heavy in my heart. It was healing to see her doing so well at Ravensloft. Perhaps there was such a thing as destiny.

Approaching Cassandra, I wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her close. “You look striking,” I murmured into her ear. “And even better with a blade in your hand, princess.”

Her cheeks flushed and her eyes shone bright with excitement as she gazed upon me. “Thanks,” she said, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes. “Baal is a wonderful teacher”—she cut a glance at Baal—“when he’s not giving me a hard time. I had no idea I could do such a thing,” she mused, surveying her tree.

Having observed my wife’s practice from the library window, hair in her face, I had asked Aunt Margaret for something to tie it back with. “Turn,” I said, taking the red leather cord from my pocket. Throwing a curious glance at me, Cassandra turned her back to me. Taking her long hair into my hands, I tied the cord onto a lock of her hair, then separated her hair into three sections. Twisting the pieces together, I braided the cord into her hair.

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