Maybe being my mate is more trouble for him than it’s worth.
“You are correct, little mare. No one gets to take you.” He digs into his saddlebags, drawing out his sword.
“Oh, this is serious,” I respond as he lifts it to the light. “Super serious.”
“I cannot compete with your sword of ages, but I can at least lift my own.”
“So the Thegn and the Dunnie can be killed?”
“The Dunnie requires his head to be removed,” Warden says matter-of-factly. “The Thegn requires a different touch.”
“Still a stabby one though?”
Warden lowers his sword and looks at me. “In a weak moment, I allowed it to take my mortality.”
“Did this weak moment involve apples?” I query.
Warden’s eyes flick to his saddlebags.
“It did not,” he responds. “I wanted revenge on the Faerie who had made us fight their useless war. The Thegn offered such an opportunity. I did not think what I was giving up in return.”
“Revenge?”
“I wanted the Shadow Keep,” Warden growls. “I wanted the Faerie to find out what it was like to be imprisoned.” He snorts a hot breath. “I wanted their lives to be filled with pain and anguish.”
I put my hand over his. His eyes are filled with emotion.
“I’m sorry, Warden. I didn’t know.”
“So many died, my lady.” He stares at my hand on his. “So many were lost, never to return to the Yeavering. The Faerie destroyed so much of this place, and still would seek to, if they could.”
“But you stopped them.” I trace my fingers over the scars on his arm. “And now the Yeavering and the Night Lands are free.”
Warden pulls in a long, deep breath. “We cannot go to your sister, not now the Thegn is here. I do not want to put her or the Bluecap, despite the fact he can look after himself, in any danger. If I want you to be safe, we will need the king of the Yeavering.”
“There’s a king?”
Warden huffs and bares his teeth. “The Barghest became king once he took his rightful place from his father. He only recently acknowledged it.”
“The Barghest?” I wrack my brains because I’ve heard the name before. “The black dog of death?”
“He wishes,” Warden grumbles. “More like a pup these days, what with his mate producing young and his family returned.” He slides the sword into his waistband. “Do you mind taking a brief detour, my sweet mare?” He grasps my upper arms and studies my face. “Before we go to your sister?”
“I don’t want to put her in any danger…”
“The Bluecap is her protection. I have no doubt he would see to the Dunnie or the Thegn, but I would rather not put him in such a position. He would not thank me for it.”
“What if I say I have a sword which isn’t going to let anyone take me?”
My stomach twists. I want to be strong. After all, I ran a tavern in the Night Lands, so I know what danger is. I certainly don’t want to bring it to Kaitlyn’s door, no matter what everyone says about the creature she has taken as a mate.
But also, I am desperate to see her. I’d rather we did anything other than delay the meeting.
“Neither creature would dare challenge the king. But he has the one weapon which I can use against the Thegn, and I’ll need to get it in order to deal with this situation once and for all,” Warden says. “Perhaps we might even be able to get the Bluecap to come to us in the meantime?” he adds with a small attempt at a smile. “Even if no one is particularly keen on having a Bluecap in their midst.”
“I suppose it’s a plan.” I look over my shoulder at the low lying hills and valleys behind us. “Or we could just go to the Night Lands.”
“Neither the Thegn nor the Dunnie will be stopped by the transference.” Warden shakes his head. “More’s the pity.”
