patio doors to Gabriel’s house.
“ You may enter, but they cannot.” Devin pointed to Andrew’s guards behind him. The two guards looked at Andrew and then each other.
‘ Lucan will be pissed if we let him get away,’ the one said to the other. As they talked together, their voices were crystal clear to Arianna. She marveled at this new skill, but didn’t say anything.
‘ He needs Andrew’s blood if he plans to actually beat Gabriel and his brat. We need to get him back there now, before Gabriel strikes.’
‘Lucan should have just left Andrew chained in the basement. Andrew doesn’t seem to get how to follow orders. You talk our way in. We can’t let them isolate Andrew from us. We won’t be able to take him back otherwise.’
‘ You brought the sedative?’
‘ Yes, so start talking. You’re better at this than I am.’
‘ Andrew, we need to stay with you. How can you trust the Randolph dog with his poisoned swords?’
Andrew shrugged. “It’s not my decision. Devin said you can’t come in, and I’m not going to leave Arianna alone right now. You can wait out here. It’s not like we’re going anywhere. Right?” Andrew directed his last question to Devin. Devin didn’t reply, but only opened the door for Arianna.
“They are not allowed in,” Devin repeated his earlier statement.
“See you guys in a little bit, when all this energy dies down.” Andrew shrugged as they both moved to protest.
‘ We need to stop him. Do something.’ One voice said to the other. Arianna couldn’t tell them apart, but knew from their proximity that it must be Andrew’s guards talking.
“ We want to be her keepers also,” the shorter one quickly blurted out.
‘ What?’ the other guy asked, while trying to hide the disbelief on his face.
“We, too, want to stay beside our leader and keep her safe.” The one who offered continued with more confidence.
Devin smiled at him and pushed Arianna forward with Andrew right beside her. “We’re not doing any more interviews today beyond Andrew. I advise you to stay outside and not try to get in right now. The house is protected by several anti-baku charms, and along with those, we are each carrying a blade laced with nightshade. Orders are to kill anyone who tries to enter the house. We will return Andrew to you when this all dies down, if he chooses.” Devin ushered Arianna forward, away from the doorway. He saw the desperation in their eyes, so he carefully unsheathed his blade, keeping it away from Andrew. Both boys backed away from the threat that Andrew didn’t even acknowledge.
‘ I hope Lucan fed him enough before we left.’
‘Not our problem if he goes nuts and kills everyone.’
‘It is if they kill him.’
Both looked up at the two dearg-dul guards, Mica and Nelson, who now stood in the doorway. Their swords were gleaming from the torchlight that lit up the backyard. Neither moved nor even looked down at the two boys. Andrew’s baku guards weren’t even a threat.
‘ Let’s hope they don’t kill him, or we will be dead as well when Lucan finds out.’
ELEVEN
Arianna yawned for a third time as she sat on the couch. Devin didn’t move from his spot at the window where he could view the tent, but not the occupants inside it. Turner was pacing the room like a trapped animal while Thomas sat in the corner and read a book. Her keepers were all occupied, but there was nothing for her to do. She really wanted to be back outside to watch Gabriel in action, but no one in the room was going to let her out. Arianna yawned again. It was boring to just sit.
“ Go to sleep,” Andrew suggested, his hands were close to her but not touching. She felt the heat pulsate from his hand toward her. There was an undeniable draw to him that she had to keep at bay while others were around. She really just wanted to climb into his lap and take a nap.
“ I can be your pillow if you’d like.” Andrew patted his lap. As Andrew finished
“ You may enter, but they cannot.” Devin pointed to Andrew’s guards behind him. The two guards looked at Andrew and then each other.
‘ Lucan will be pissed if we let him get away,’ the one said to the other. As they talked together, their voices were crystal clear to Arianna. She marveled at this new skill, but didn’t say anything.
‘ He needs Andrew’s blood if he plans to actually beat Gabriel and his brat. We need to get him back there now, before Gabriel strikes.’
‘Lucan should have just left Andrew chained in the basement. Andrew doesn’t seem to get how to follow orders. You talk our way in. We can’t let them isolate Andrew from us. We won’t be able to take him back otherwise.’
‘ You brought the sedative?’
‘ Yes, so start talking. You’re better at this than I am.’
‘ Andrew, we need to stay with you. How can you trust the Randolph dog with his poisoned swords?’
Andrew shrugged. “It’s not my decision. Devin said you can’t come in, and I’m not going to leave Arianna alone right now. You can wait out here. It’s not like we’re going anywhere. Right?” Andrew directed his last question to Devin. Devin didn’t reply, but only opened the door for Arianna.
“They are not allowed in,” Devin repeated his earlier statement.
“See you guys in a little bit, when all this energy dies down.” Andrew shrugged as they both moved to protest.
‘ We need to stop him. Do something.’ One voice said to the other. Arianna couldn’t tell them apart, but knew from their proximity that it must be Andrew’s guards talking.
“ We want to be her keepers also,” the shorter one quickly blurted out.
‘ What?’ the other guy asked, while trying to hide the disbelief on his face.
“We, too, want to stay beside our leader and keep her safe.” The one who offered continued with more confidence.
Devin smiled at him and pushed Arianna forward with Andrew right beside her. “We’re not doing any more interviews today beyond Andrew. I advise you to stay outside and not try to get in right now. The house is protected by several anti-baku charms, and along with those, we are each carrying a blade laced with nightshade. Orders are to kill anyone who tries to enter the house. We will return Andrew to you when this all dies down, if he chooses.” Devin ushered Arianna forward, away from the doorway. He saw the desperation in their eyes, so he carefully unsheathed his blade, keeping it away from Andrew. Both boys backed away from the threat that Andrew didn’t even acknowledge.
‘ I hope Lucan fed him enough before we left.’
‘Not our problem if he goes nuts and kills everyone.’
‘It is if they kill him.’
Both looked up at the two dearg-dul guards, Mica and Nelson, who now stood in the doorway. Their swords were gleaming from the torchlight that lit up the backyard. Neither moved nor even looked down at the two boys. Andrew’s baku guards weren’t even a threat.
‘ Let’s hope they don’t kill him, or we will be dead as well when Lucan finds out.’
ELEVEN
Arianna yawned for a third time as she sat on the couch. Devin didn’t move from his spot at the window where he could view the tent, but not the occupants inside it. Turner was pacing the room like a trapped animal while Thomas sat in the corner and read a book. Her keepers were all occupied, but there was nothing for her to do. She really wanted to be back outside to watch Gabriel in action, but no one in the room was going to let her out. Arianna yawned again. It was boring to just sit.
“ Go to sleep,” Andrew suggested, his hands were close to her but not touching. She felt the heat pulsate from his hand toward her. There was an undeniable draw to him that she had to keep at bay while others were around. She really just wanted to climb into his lap and take a nap.
“ I can be your pillow if you’d like.” Andrew patted his lap. As Andrew finished
Similar Books
