Page 17 of Oath of Betrayal
I went to tell the magistrate that I’d return after making a few corrections to my wardrobe. After he’d gone through the trouble to get me here, I didn’t want the vindictive sod sending the town watch to drag me back, attracting even more attention to my dress. Besides, their uniforms were still singed from the last time they’d tried to manhandle me after I had punched Katja’s now ex-husband for getting frisky in the tavern’s backroom.
Unfortunately, before I could get anywhere near the magistrate, a murmur spread through the crowd in front of me, people shuffling to the sides to reveal our visitors. The squad of dragon riders marched straight towards the platform, cutting off my escape.
‘My lady. I knew we’d meet again. The gods must be smiling down on me for such a beauty to greet us.’ I knew that voice. The deep baritone, its smooth, velvety softness overflowing with amusement.
I opened my eyes, realising I’d squeezed them shut to avoid the inevitable confrontation, and looked up into the intoxicating eyes of Vahin’s rider. The men had halted at some unspoken command, but the leader of the unit pressed on. Despite the mayor’s wife waiting with a bouquet and the magistrate, who stood like a maypole with a hand outstretched in greeting, he walked straight towards me as if I were the only one there.
It was just my luck that in my chase for the dragon I had stumbled over the leader of the unit. His unwavering attention made me acutely aware that every single person in this bloody town was now staring at me.
The man in question clearly didn’t care who was looking, and I struggled not to stare at him. If I’d dressed to impress, he beat me without even trying. He wore an imposing set of armour. Polished metal and leather gleamed in the sun as he took my hand, bowing and kissing the knuckles before he deigned to notice the city council.
Their reactions were comical; the women curtsied as if they were meeting royalty, and the overdressed men bowed so low that one man’s feathered hat fell into the mud. The warrior’s only acknowledgement was a casual wave of his free hand, the other still holding mine, his gaze not once leaving my face.
His military bearing and stoic demeanour while he stood before the entire town, his presence effortlessly commanding everyone’s attention, reminded me so much of Talmund that my heart ached and my lips suddenly parted. I couldn’t look away from him.
Then, his face lit with a such boyish smile that the atmosphere changed as the intimidating warrior released my hand, turned to the council, and greeted the assembled men. He lightly flirted with the mayor’s wife as she gifted him the bouquet she’d been desperately clutching, and the poor woman fluttered around so much she’d almost fainted.
I saw his lips twitch when I laughed at the mayor, dragging his overly eager spouse away from the rider. I couldn’t blame her. The man was a sight to behold. When he’d stood before me in the meadow, he’d dwarfed me, but he’d not been frightening. Now, he looked as though he ate demons for lunch, and the collective awe on the council’s faces told me they were well aware of his strength.
I kept my own appreciation tightly leashed because each time the commander of the dragon riders looked at me, it felt like the festivities were pointless. There was kindness in his eyes, but also a steely determination—as if he’d already made his decision, and I was smack-bang in the middle of his plans. As understanding widened my eyes, he smirked and nodded before turning back to his conversation.
He could pass for the god of war himself, but if I’d wanted a powerful man to make my choices for me, I’d have stayed in the capital. I braced myself, ready to cut him down to size and stormoff—free horse and bench be damned—when the mayor stepped down from the platform and stood beside me.
‘Do you know each other?’
‘We don’t. Now, if you’ll excuse me? I should make room for the ladies that want to be chosen,’ I snapped, turning on my heel, but the warrior stepped in front of me.
‘That is a regretful oversight on my part. However, as per tradition, I must insist on rectifying my mistake and getting to know you before making my choice. Let’s start with your name, my lady,’ he commanded, and the mayor’s attention instantly snapped to my darkening expression.
There were only so many times a woman could rebuff a man before she suspected an ulterior motive.
Did he recognise the battle mage dress and want a mage in his service? Or maybe the dragon is behind this?I knew so little about dragons, but I understood that they communicated with their riders and I wondered if Vahin had told him we were connected. There were no other reasons for ignoring my desire to leave and then declaring his intent in front of the entire town.
Was this whole meeting an elaborate charade? Organised with its new rules to strip me of any chance for a polite refusal?Worse, if the magistrate had received the order from the court, did it mean that the mages in the capitol knew I was living here?
What if the rider was ordered to deliver me to the council?
A sudden wave of fear and the flare of my magic swept over me, almost as if the aether had reacted to my distress. Ihatedbeing manipulated, and the feeling of being trapped was suffocating. If the capital mages knew I was here, I had to run before they dragged me back to complete the Anchor bond with one of them.
Surrounded by the entire town and a flight of dragon riders, I struggled to keep my composure as I searched for a way to escape. I was going to tell the brazen warriorpreciselywhat Ithought of the entire situation when the mayor gleefully leapt into the conversation.
‘Oh, my lord, this is Ani Jaksa, our town mage.’ He turned to me. ‘Ani, could you try beingnicer? It’s not every day you meet Lord Ormond Erenhart, Commander of Varta Fortress.’
Fucking patronising prick. I’ll show younicer.
Anger joined the fear in my mind, fuelling my unhinged magic. My hands clenched into fists as I fought to contain my power. It threatened to unleash itself on the gleeful man, but the mayor didn’t have the sense to ‘read the room.’ But as an arrogant smile blossomed on his face, I lost control, sending red aetheric strands in his direction.
‘Fuck!’I muttered under my breath, instinctively reaching for the Anchor bond, gasping when Ormond caught my hand and spun me around without seeming to move. His swift reaction doused the rogue spell, but not before the suddenly pale mayor fell back, thankfully unharmed.
As I stared at the warrior, shocked by the audacity of his gesture, I found myself with my hand pressed against his breastplate.
‘It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Ani. Please, call me Orm.’ He lowered his voice, ‘I’m sure we both hope that today will end agreeably, without either of us becoming fodder for the local gossip.’ Orm stroked my hand, acting every inch the man who had found the woman he fancied.
‘You aren’t hurt?’ I whispered, drawing a shaky breath when he shook his head, keeping his expression polite. He had effortlessly taken control of the situation, turning a near catastrophe into something that resembled a warm welcome, all while maintaining his calm demeanour.
It made little sense. Not only did my magic not hurt him, but his touch had broken through my distraction and centredme enough to regain my control. I’d been gently but sternly disarmed by a man I didn’t even know.
My magic never behaved that way, and I stared at him, tense as a bowstring.Whoishe?This rock—an unfeeling, unmovable, perfectly polite piece of granite—made me feel like I’d injure myself if I even tried to fight him. Ormond must have noticed my confusion, because he bent to whisper in my ear.
