Page 28 of His Greatest Treasure

The thought made me shudder.

Unfortunately, I had to run then because the door opened and Mother hurried out. I could tell she was heading straight for Aunt Silvia, and her bonds with me and Morgan grew tight again.

As soon as she was gone, I rushed back to my bedroom so nobody would see me, I wasn’t sure what they had decided. They’d argued. Actually argued.

I’d rarely heard anyone speak to Lord Somerville other than to say, “Yes, sir,” and Mother was the only one who could ever question him. She only did it where Morgan and I were concerned.

The way she’d been speaking, this shooting wasn’t just random. It was an attack.

The thought made my insides prickle with unease. Blaze was out there, alone and vulnerable. I didn’t like that at all. Everything inside of me wanted to bring him inside, wrap him up in my blankets and keep him safe in my bed. Nothing would be able to hurt him in this castle. Not with my whole clan to protect him.

I actually considered it. Revealing him to Lord Somerville and asking him to let Blaze stay.

After all, fire spirits were powerful. Blaze was sweet and kind. Why wouldn’t he let my friend stay?

Unfortunately, no matter how much I longed to make it happen, I knew that it wouldn’t. Blaze had entered our territory uninvited and Father would only ever see Blaze as a threat.

I got a horrible cramp at the possibility that Lord Somerville would throw Blaze out. Then he’d be on the outside of our protections, alongsidewhatever maniac was out there with a gun and a grudge. No, I didn’t want Blaze out there. Not at all. I wanted him inside our protections, where he would be safe.

I’d keep my friend secret for a while longer, until I could work out what to do to keep him here permanently.

Chapter 13

Blaze

Alfie was already talking as he entered the den, and my entire being seemed to relax at the sound of it.

“It’s been days and they’re still not letting me out of the castle, you know. I had to sneak out and I was almost caught but I managed to get out of the door just in time. I was worried that you wouldn’t have enough food but I couldn’t think of a way of getting any to you without asking someone for help. I thought about asking one of the servants but they work for Lord Somerville and their first loyalty is to him. They’d have to tell him.”

I stood up and went over to him, and then realised that I didn’t have a reason to do that. I’d just gone over to be nearer to him instinctively.

I looked up at him and tried to think of something sensible to say.

In the end, I went for, “Are you fully healed?”

“Yes, Glenwise got the bullet out and I’m fine now.”

Frowning, I asked, “Didn’t that hurt?”

Alfie squirmed.

“It did a bit, but it’s okay because it’s all over now. I feel fine. Glenwise is a really good medic. He was away for ages doing his training. They did ask a lot of questions, though, and I had to tell them that I was going to the woods because that might be important for clan safety, but I didn’t mention you or the den. Nobody’s come out here, have they?”

“The Guardian flew around a few times but I got the impression he was focused on the boundary, not the woods.”

“That’s good.”

Alfie looked at me expectantly and I realised I was standing in front of him, blocking his way.

“Ah, yes, do you want to sit down? I was just checking you were healed.”

I felt my face heat up but it wasn’t the usual sensation of fire and flame, it wasembarrassment.

Alfie smiled at me. “I’m healed, I promise. You can check my arm if you like.”

Even though I knew I should trust him and his clan medic, I couldn’t stop myself from saying, “Yes please.”

I just needed to see it myself. I needed to be sure that he was unharmed because I’d been so unsettled for days that a hand-wave and a casual ‘I’m fine’ weren’t going to cut it. I needed to be sure.

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