“Panos’s favorite thing to eat is mortals,” Yuto said darkly. “He doesn’t want to use you merely to escape. He wants you to take him to your mortal realm where he can feast for decades.”
I pressed a hand to my heart. My fingers were shaking. “Okay, while I’m sufficiently terrified, isn’t there a way you can stop him? He’s just one man. You’re a dragonlord.” I hated to flatter him, but…well, I was kind of past caring about that kind of thing right now. “With your power, surely you can kill him.”
“As I said before, Panos is immortal. That’s why the fae sent him here. He cannot be hanged or burned or quartered. It is impossible to kill him, and few cells hold him for long.”
“Oh.” I blinked. “So…he’s fae?”
“Fae do not die from old age, but theycanbe killed. It’s much harder to kill them than mortals, mind you, but they are not immune to blades or fire.” Yuto leaned back into the chair, frowning out the window at the stars in the midnight sky. “He’s a twisted version of the fae. Blood powers him in a way no one quite understands. It brings him power unlike anything I’ve ever seen. He can’t be killed. Trust me. I’ve tried several times.”
So an immortal beast that no one understood wanted to eat me.
Fantastic.
“Well, even if he somehow got through the portal to the mortal lands, he couldn’t cause much damage, right? There’s still only one of him, even if he can’t be killed. There are thousands upon thousands of humans in my city.”
“You would be surprised at how much destruction one soul can cause when he is intent on it. Your humans might eventually capture him, but not before he ends dozens or hundreds of lives.”
My lungs lacked air. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t even think. Panos had been so close to using me to destroy so many lives. If Yuto hadn’t found me in time, not only would I be dead but hundreds more would be as well. It didn’t matter that Yuto only had his selfish reasons for saving me. Not when there was a far worse monster out there.
“He’s coming here, isn’t he?” I whispered.
Yuto nodded.
“Because of me.”
“No, he’s wanted rid of me for a very long time. If he gets to you, it’s merely an extra gift.”
“Dammit,” I muttered.
Yuto arched a brow in question.
“This means I’m stuck with you.”
Yuto smiled. “Does this mean you’re finally going to stop trying to escape?”
“Don’t look so cocky. I’m only going to stay because this cannibal clearly needs to be stopped, and I have far more to worry about than just myself now. I can’t let him get to Eretia. I am, um….” I mumbled the next bit, hoping he didn’t really hear it, “safer here with you.”
His smiled widened. “Ah, so you’ve finally realized that I am very good at protecting you.”
“Stop being so smug about it, or I’ll take it back.”
“You won’t.” He chuckled. “If you do, it’ll just be a lie.”
“I hate you.”
“You may think you hate me, but I know the truth.” Still smiling, he stood. His body blocked out the candlelight, though it framed his face, curving around his wide jaw. “Now, get some rest. You need to heal quickly. I doubt Panos will wait long before launching his first attack.”
12
Aradia
Days passed with more of the same. Yuto would visit me each morning, bringing with him herbal tea and freshly-baked scones. He’d pester me more often than not, grinning when he got a rise out of me. It was very annoying.
Battle preparations continued, and my wound slowly healed. When I no longer needed the bandage, Yuto hauled me out of bed and dragged me to the Great Hall where he’d set up a sparring ring.
“First things first. I want to teach you how to fight. You were terrible in the forest.” Yuto stood before me with the limb of a tree in his beefy hands. He wore a leather vest cut into a low V. His sculpted muscles were on full display, rippling as he twisted the stick in his hands.
“Thanks. You’re very kind.” I pressed my sweaty palms against my matching tunic and trousers. For some reason, adrenaline charged through my veins like a hungry elephant. I had no reason to be nervous. Well, no reason but the threat of going splat on the stone floor when Yuto slammed that stick into my side.
