Oath of Betrayal (The Broken Bonds: Slavic Fantasy #1)

T he half-orc blacksmith and the herbalist gathered Ani into their embrace. How they could be so affectionate while still staring daggers in our direction was a mystery to me. I hesitated, feeling the urge to intervene. We’d come so close to losing her, and I was still processing my feelings. However, I couldn’t interrupt seeing how happy Ani was in their company.

‘ She isn’t physically injured; her magic is calm now, and she wants to be with them ,’ Vahin rumbled in my mind. I turned around to look at the two who’d hidden the fact that Annika had been struggling from me. Vahin hadn’t been surprised by my reaction, but Alaric’s entire posture radiated hostility and challenge.

‘Is there a reason neither of you mentioned this?’ I asked as calmly as I could. Annika had been whisked away by her friends, but the bravest of Varta’s citizens and those too stupid to fear Vahin or Alaric’s threats were still here, watching the spectacle.

‘I only realised what was happening today. You took me too far away, and there was only one moment I sensed something was amiss.’ Vahin’s narrowing pupils focused on me in anger. ‘Should I be asking you why you were so determined to postpone our return? Why you performed a task that could easily have been assigned to a low-ranking officer?’