Page 45 of End of the Sword


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“Common sense,” Shelby huffed.

Rehan’s mouth pressed into a tight line in response to Shelby’s bitter comment. He turned his back to him as if to pretend that it was never said at all. Other warlocks were whispering. Some shifted their weight from one foot to the other, some lifted their weapons minutely, while others only managed to glare. Rehan had guessed it. Or something close.

“Why else would you be here?” he continued, motioning around them.

Where was here exactly?

Honey, Greshta said with pity,you are practically knocking at Glatton’s door.

“These are lies. How could they not be?” What little space Ace had gained from the knife disappeared at his accusation.

“Why would we lie?” Shelby called.

“To save your own skin.”

“Why would he be so concerned for the girl if he was only worried for himself?” Rehan pointed out.

“Also.” Ace swallowed. “Common sense.”

“You shut up!” the warlock shouted in her ear.

Others were moving again, the small crowd swaying as they shared quiet secrets amongst themselves. Even the man with Ace turned ever so slightly to look at the others, trying to read their thoughts through their gazes. From the edges of her vision, Ace watched his hands twitch against the knife’s handle.

“This is a delicate matter,” the warlock said more calmly.

“We are on the same side.” Shelby was trying to reason with him. “If we can get through the barrier then so can you.”

Wherever the warlock moved, so did Ace. That was, after all, how it worked when someone had a weapon at your throat. Together they took a step toward the forest’s edge.

The calm knowing that told her everything was going to be okay was fading, replaced with a feeling that made her bowels turn watery.

Should she risk using her holy fire? Could she move fast enough?

“Just lower your damn weapons!” Shelby yelled.

He was only perhaps a few yards away but to Ace, it felt like miles.

The moment Rehan lifted his foot to follow after his fiancée another warlock was on him. There was no sword, nor blade of any kind, only blue sparking magic that outlined Rehan’s body as it lifted him from the ground. Rehan’s throat bobbed but otherwise, his body was held suspended in place.

Ace’s exhale fogged the dagger. Her hands clung to the warlock’s forearms and she ignored the bit of the steel as it dug into her skin.

Not once did Shelby even so much as offer the slightest glance Rehan’s way. The orange in his gaze was settled on the one person who held Ace so tightly.

“Please,” Shelby pleaded, “we are telling you the truth.”

“We just want to help you,” Ace said, her eyes were frantically bouncing from face to face. A stiffness was settling into her bones, fear freezing her. Would any of them show pity? Would any of them believe what they’d just been told?

“Oh, you’re going to help us all right.”

The world spun. Grass became sky and clouds became a walkway as Ace was tossed over the man’s shoulder, no more than a sack of grain. She strained, willing her muscles to move, shouting without a single word leaving her mouth.

When Shelby bellowed, she caught sight of the magic glowing on the arm that hung at the warlock’s side. It wasn’t fear that had forced her into such a passive state. It was the power of the gods themselves and she was not immune.

Ace

In the few moments Ace hung with blood rushing to her face and a headache thudding behind her eyes, she couldn’t help but wonder if she and Shelby were always destined to be torn apart. Together one minute then clawing back to each other the next.

Eventually, Shelby would tire of it. Ace was certain. He was probably already tired of it now. Wasn’t she Rehan’s problem, not his? A wave of guilt crashed against her. She hadn’t even so much as felt a twinge of sadness for being parted with Rehan. Her future husband. Pasia’s future king.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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