Page 6 of Oath of Betrayal
‘You can always step in if she needs you, but you couldn’t be more wrong about this one. She isn’t some defenceless hedge witch, not with that skill. Look at the glyphs, at how complex they are and how fast she’s creating them. I want to see what’s coming, Orm. I need to know what she can do. Please trust me, brother.’
I ground my teeth but acquiesced. Magic was Ari’s domain, and if he needed to see this woman fight I would indulge him … to a point. However, I couldn’t let someone, especially a female who could wield magic, get injured for the sake of his curiosity.
The stench of the undead filled the air when two ghouls and a striga rushed into the clearing, charging at the female. As they appeared, she thrust her free hand forward, activating the spell she’d been working on.
The first charging ghoul was set ablaze, screeching as the flames engulfed him. The second, caught in a different glyph, slowed down as if he were trudging through molasses.
As if realising the danger, the striga paused, but the mysterious mage rushed towards it, her sword swinging in a deadly arc that grazed its chest before she twisted to avoid the monster’s claws.
Magic flared blood red on her fingertips as the woman slid across the grass and angled her sword between the remaining ghoul’s legs, severing its tendons with surprising accuracy. With a bloodcurdling scream, the creature stumbled to the side—straight into the striga’s slashing claws, the deadly talons stabbing deep into the ghoul’s chest.
‘Damn, I would love to duel with her,’ Alaric remarked next to me, but I was too enraptured by the deadly mage in front of me to pay attention.
Unlike me, she relied on speed and flexibility instead of strength, and it worked in her favour. I blew out a breath I didn’tknow I’d been holding as she twisted her body and landed a fatal blow that took the ghoul’s head.
I didn’t think she could fight against three attackers for too long, and I was soon proven right. Her luck was starting to run low as the glow of her spell dimmed and she stumbled to avoid the striga’s muzzle.
The hiss of surprise by my side dragged my attention back to Alaric. He held his chest, his eyes widening in astonishment.
‘Gods above … Hrae! Her magic is looking for an Anchor. She’s a conduit!’ he whispered in awe, but I’d had enough.
His curiosity would have to be satisfied with what he’d already seen. I almost barked the order as the next blow of the striga’s elongated claws raked over the woman’s sword arm, catching the leather vambrace and dragging her closer, ‘She is tired. We’ve waited long enough. Let’s go.’
‘Why won’t you die, bitch?!’ the mage screamed. I could hear the anger and pain in her voice, but as I made to run towards her, a black shadow descended from the sky.
Just as the woman’s hand connected with the striga’s chest, blinding blue flames burst through the creature’s body as my dragon ripped the monster’s head from its shoulders, the lifeless skull bouncing harmlessly to the water’s edge.
The fight was over. The mysterious mage stood there panting heavily, her body trembling while she eyed the dragon warily. Vahin only moved closer, gazing at her with unbridled curiosity.
‘Are you out of your fucking mind? I could have hurt you,’ she scolded the massive beast as she tried to catch her breath, and my mouth gaped open.
‘Why isn’t she afraid of Vahin?’ I heard Alaric’s fascination as he stared at her as if she were a miracle.
‘There is a connection between them. Her magic … I don’t know how, but it’s like she called out to him for help—and he answered.’
‘Wait,what?’ I’d never seen Ari so shocked, but my companion’s face was the picture of confusion and wonder until he managed to rein in his expression. Before I could ask him what had happened, though, I had another riddle to solve.
Almost as if he couldn’t control it, Vahin’s thoughts so strongly radiated surprise and joy that my vision was superimposed with the dragon’s sight. The strange phenomenon ended after a moment, just as the massive beast released a peculiar sound that was half growl, half whine, and flattened himself on the ground.
What? Did he just … apologise?
The woman rushed towards Vahin, placing her hand on his muzzle before walking around him as if checking for injuries.
‘There, there. I’m sorry, too. I didn’t hurt you, did I, handsome? I’m sorry if the flames burned you. I was almost done with her, so you didn’t need to intervene. What should I do with you now, huh? Are you hurt? Hungry? Where’s your rider? Do you even have one? Gods, you look so familiar …’ she fussed, stroking the sensitive spot under Vahin’s gigantic eyes, causing the dragon to relax and purr.
The pleasure that radiated through our bond, the contentment that Vahin felt from the female’s attention, the pride at her actions, and the possessiveness that blossomed in my dragon’s mind concerned me. Vahin was civil to strangers … well, mostly. Butlikingthem was another thing.
Did she put a spell on him?I wondered. I couldn’t feel anything untoward in his mind, but I didn’t know what tricks she may have used when she touched him with her magic, so I closed my eyes, commanding him to leave.
I finished sending my thoughts, but as I opened my eyes, I noticed Alaric had broken free from the illusion surrounding us. ‘If I had a conduit mage …’ He paused for a moment before muttering, ‘If she can respond to Vahin, she could potentially Anchor my magic. Orm, she could be the solution to ourproblems. We need to take her to the fortress. You need to grab her. If you don’t, I will.’
Ari stepped forward before I was able to stop him, and I raised my eyebrows at his actions.Someone else who has developed a sudden unhealthy obsession with this strange fighter.I knew it was her magic that fascinated him, but we weren’t savages who kidnapped females from the fields. Besides, I had doubts that this encounter was a coincidence.
I felt like I had seen her before. There was something strangely fascinating about her. Dressed like a countrywoman, with enough power to make Alaric envious and enthral my dragon, she was more than met the eye. I needed to assess what danger she posed before I could let her enter my fortress.
As my dragon continued to be stubborn, I sent Vahin another mental order to leave. Meanwhile, Alaric marched away from me through the grass with his usual decisiveness, his steps long and purposeful as he neared the mage. However, the woman was too preoccupied with stroking the dragon to pay any attention until he was almost upon her.
… Vahin refused to leave. My godsdamned dragon had ignored a direct order, twice. That was enough to make me second-guess the idea of trying to bring her with us.
