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Five
Baine
Reaching the guard house, I did one final check on the security for the night. Anytime Lord Demious invited the nobles over for a ball or other ostentatious occasion, my men wasted time saving the fools from getting lost in the garden maze or wandering to areas of the estate that were off limits.
Having a group of women to babysit didn’t make my task easier. When Lord Demious had mentioned this soiree of his, I suggested he focus on picking a bride and not playing with the nobles. At almost every festivity he had, I would need to send the ladies home, discreetly, the next day. The magistrate had a large appetite for many things, including women.
“You three will stay in the ballroom,” I said to my men. “The rest, normal duties.”
“Yes, captain.” My first, Marco, another fae, motioned for the two guards to go ahead. Once they were far enough away, he pulled me aside.
“What is Demious doing?” Marco never used proper titles when dealing with the eccentric lord. “Those raptors showing up signal a magic disturbance, and he’s done nothing but plan a party for a bunch of females?”
Marco rubbed the back of his shaved head. “Something is off.”
“Keep your head about you. As long as the barrier around the estate holds, there should be no more creatures entering.”
“You sense it, don’t you? It’s as if my body is singing with magical energy with all these prospects in one area.”
“I do.” Though I trusted Marco with my life, I would not tell him about my own conclusions, not until I had more information.
“I want to show you something.” Marco motioned for me to follow him out the back entrance and toward the stables. “It may be nothing, but after the incident with the raptors, we need to be sure.”
The private stables held only Lord Demious’ horses, a mix of work horses and riding ones. Marco stopped at the first gate. “I noticed it this morning when she wouldn’t eat.”
A white mare lay on her side. An odd black marking skittered along her neck from a spot by her ear. I squatted by the animal, and she snorted.
“Shh. Easy.” I ran my hand along her smooth mane.
“What do you think it is?”
“I’m not sure.” Activating my tattoo, I sent a magical pulse through my palm, searching for the source of entry.
As Lord Demious’ head guard, he had crafted the tattoo as a means for me to verify magical properties, whether it be on an object or person. The tattoo heated as I reached an area underneath the mare’s ear.
“Here.” I pointed to a puncture made by four holes in a circular shape.
Marco leaned over. “What type of creature would cause such a wound?”
“I’m not sure. Has Lord Demious seen this?” I patted the mare before standing and exiting the stall.
“Not yet. I was only informed a little while ago.”
Farrow’s Gate had been an epicenter for magical oddities and creatures. Besides Lord Demious, there were many mages in the town, keeping watch to make sure any dangerous monsters were dealt with swiftly.
“Where did you find her?” I asked.
“Grazing with the others.”
“Show me.”
We exited the stables and I followed Marco toward the open area . . . right where the females had been practicing archery. “This is not good.”
“I know,” Marco grumbled.
Already my mind began calculating possibilities. Did one of the females summon something? Were the dampeners not working?
Lighting the tattoo, I waved my palm over the grounds, walking slowly. Whatever happened to appear and attack the mare had long gone.
