Page 44 of Bear Protector
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Xander
Xander waited at the side alley of the craftsmen’s cabin. Kiera had sent word yesterday with her familiar. With four days left until the scheduled transformation ceremony, he was no closer to a clear direction, but he could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Kiera was on board. He had a chance to make some of the bold moves required to finally stop Minassus.
He began to worry when half-an-hour passed and she still did not arrive to meet him. He could only spare a couple of hours this morning before he needed to get back to his soldiers. There was still much to be done. Just as he was about to leave, Kiera’s familiar called out to him from a distance.
“Commander Oslo,” she addressed him when they were face to face.
“Shifter witch,” he replied gruffly.
“I do have a name, you know.”
“Yes, I get that.” He would never trust her, even if she was Kiera’s familiar and had played a role in orchestrating these secret meetings. “Has something happened to Kiera?”
“No, no. She has asked for you to come to the small wooded area adjacent to the fortress this evening. Can you be there right after dinner hour?”
“Why so close to the fortress?” he asked, already suspicious. He could not be too careful, not even with Kiera. Especially now when all he wanted to do was keep her close.
“She will explain when she sees you.”
“Fine. Tell Kiera I’ll be there. This had better not be a trap, witch.”
She rolled her eyes and turned to leave. “It is not, you ungrateful fool.”
He returned to camp quickly, curious to learn what Kiera had in store for them tonight. Liam was waiting for him at the gate.
“No plans with the Chosen today?” he asked.
“Later today, yes.”
“Good.”
“I need your help. Back me up when I go to see her this evening…just in case.”
“Since when do you need a back-up for a goddamned date?”
Xander told him the meeting place and time in a low voice.
“Why there? Why take such a risk?”
“It won’t be as big of a risk if you have my back, will it?” Xander asked, already losing his patience.
“Fuck,” Liam grunted. “All right. I’ll come. I hope you don’t plan on sneaking into the fortress. Minassus will lose it… if he doesn’t end up reading your mind and figuring out he has one less virgin witch under his charge, thanks to you.”
“Just be ready for anything.” Xander pushed his way past Liam. He had work to do.
* * *
Xander was on edge the entire way to the fortress. Liam was no help. The man was armed to the tooth, carrying a bowie knife in a holster strapped to his waist, daggers hidden at each calf, and a longsword that hung from his back.
“With all that gear clinking around, the guards probably heard us coming before we left camp,” Xander told him.
“Can’t be too careful.”
“Evidently, you can.”
Liam patted the Bowie knife. “You’ll never catch me a hundred feet from the fortress without protection. Trust me, you’ll thank me if it’s a trap.”
