Chapter 13
Wolfe
Istood atop the hill, sword in hand, and slashed it through the air. My torso twisted as I moved the sword in the opposite direction, muscles contracting, arms trembling. I’d been at this for over two hours, practicing my sword work after the latest invasion.
There’d been so many in the last few months, and they were ramping up. This lithaguar had been the second this week. We’d never had two in one week.
No one would be able to find this place without magic, but for some reason, magical beings could break through our invisible barriers.
No humans had ever followed them, which was the only reason we knew that even if their pets and objects could find us, that didn’t mean they could.
But it was troubling to think they might know where we were located, that at this very moment they might be planning exactly how to infiltrate us and take over our home, that they might be outside our barrier right now.
I laid down my sword and picked up an axe, then stalked over to the pile of wood that needed chopping, one log already perfectly placed on a lone stump.
I picked up the axe and brought it down, straight into the middle of the log, feeling some of my nervous energy dissipating.
It wasn’t a matter of if but when the day that we were infiltrated would come, and I would make damn well sure I was prepared to protect my home, my brother.
I lifted another log to the stump and raised my axe in the air.
“You know, if you brought all that wood to the castle, it would probably find a way to chop it for you.”
The axe slipped from my hand, swiveling through the air and straight toward Niamh. She jumped backward, and the axe embedded itself in the ground in front of her.
A breeze flowed through the air, rustling the maroon skirt of her dress. The bodice was cinched tight, accentuating her wide hips and the heaving bosom that spilled over the top—
I cleared my throat and looked up at her face, hoping she hadn’t caught me staring.
It had been a long time since I’d even allowed myself to notice a woman.
Truth be told, I spent most of the time that I wasn’t guarding Cillian alone at my cabin.
I didn’t run into the opposite sex all that much, and even if I did, none of them were interested in me.
Not after what had happened with Lor, after that situation had broken me.
But Niamh, clueless as ever, didn’t have the same wariness toward me that everyone else seemed to. That was probably why I was noticing her. She was the only female who’d actually talk to me, who wanted to talk to me.
I grunted and stalked forward. “Don’t sneak up on me like that. My axe almost impaled you.”
“You almost impaled me. If I’m to become queen, wouldn’t that be treason?” The right side of her lips tipped up, and by now, I knew that meant she was teasing.
“So you’ve decided to become queen now?” I grumbled as I bent over and wrenched the axe from the ground, slinging it over my shoulder. “And how did you find my house?”
She ignored my questions, asking one of her own instead. “Why don’t you live in the castle? Doesn’t your whole family live there?”
Not everyone. Not Lor.
I turned and stomped back toward the tree stump. A chilly gust brushed past me, cooling the sweat that had settled across my chest and arms.
I turned and jumped to see Niamh right in front of me. “Witches be, woman. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”
She raised her thick brows, the same blazing red color as her hair. “You knew I was here.” She paused, face screwing up like she was working through a puzzle. “Oh, I get it. You thought you’d dismissed me. Does that work? You just ignore people, and they leave you alone?”
“Yes,” I gritted it out. “That’s generally how it goes.”
“Oh.” She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Well, lucky for me, I’m not so easily turned away.”
“I can see that.” I grabbed her arm and pushed her back. “Watch out.”
I swung the axe over my head and down into the center of the log, splitting it perfectly down the middle.
“Can’t the magic just do that?” Niamh asked.
“I don’t know,” I said and knew she wasn’t going to leave until she got whatever she was here for. “Why are you here, Niamh? Don’t you have a castle to be winning over?”
Certainly not a grumpy guard who wanted to be left alone.
“Why aren’t you in armor like the rest of the royal guard?” Her gaze dipped to my chest, to my tunic plastered to it with sweat, and her eyes widened before snapping back up.
She cleared her throat, a slight blush on her cheeks. “You’re very . . . underdressed compared to them.”
“That’s because I’m not part of the royal guard. I’m the bodyguard. My job is to protect Cillian, not Fairwitch Isle.”
“Oh.” She frowned. “But why aren’t you in the royal guard?”
Mother of witches, this woman asked so many fucking questions. I just wanted to chop some wood.
“Is there something you needed?” I asked again.
“Well, I found a library in the castle.” Excitement lit her green eyes. “And I wanted to get some cleaning supplies and fix it up a bit, so I left the library and was opening a random door—”
“You shouldn’t do that,” I interrupted.
“What?” she asked.
“Open random doors. You can get lost if you’re not careful.”
Her eyes widened to saucers, her eyelashes so long and curled. “That’s actually happened?”
I sighed and shoved a hand through my hair. “There was a healer who opened a door and was never seen again. She was one of only two healers, and once she disappeared, Nevan was forced to start training to take over once the other one couldn’t do his job any longer.”
I thought about my brother, how obsessive he’d already been with his alchemy. Adding the workload of a second job had only made things worse.
Her gaze shifted back and forth, and I could tell the wheels in her mind were turning, spinning ideas.
She shook her head. “Well, anyway, I opened a door, hoping it might be a closet with some cleaning supplies, but instead it led outside. I almost fell right out of the castle, but I caught myself in the doorway, and in the distance, I saw you at your lonely little cabin at the top of a hill. I thought about going back inside but realized it could take forever to find the supply closet or a person who could help me, so I decided to come here and see you.”
“Lucky me,” I said, cursing the stupid castle for bringing Niamh here. I thought now that our journey was over, I wouldn’t have to see her anymore.
“Oh, cheer up, sunshine.” She winked. “You must get lonely out here with no visitors.”
“I don’t. And stop calling me that.”
“I can’t. It just keeps slipping out,” she said with an innocent look on her face.
I grabbed my axe and once again slung it over my shoulder. “Well, I can’t help you. I don’t know where the cleaning supplies are. I suggest you ask a servant or Cillian, though I doubt he’d know.”
Her lips flattened into a thin line. “I’m not currently speaking to Cillian.”
The longer she didn’t speak to my brother, the more she’d keep bothering me. A voice whispered that maybe I wanted her to keep bothering me, but I instantly shoved that into a deep, dark place.
I was going to regret this, but I gestured to a stone bench I’d carved that sat next to my cabin. We walked toward it and sat down. “Cillian has a good heart, and it was in the right place.”
“You’re just saying that because he’s your brother,” she said. “It was wrong to keep all of that from me. To bring me here under false pretense.”
“Yes, well, as high prince, Cillian is under a lot of pressure. Fairwitch Isle’s magic is weakening, and he doesn’t know why.
None of us do. Rooms in the castle we used to have access to are disappearing.
We’re worried our armory is next, and we don’t have answers, other than that this all started when Cillian was chosen as high prince, but no queen was chosen.
It’s not like he can step down. The castle decides. No one else.”
“So other than during Cillian’s reign, you’ve always had a queen?” Niamh tucked a strand of long red hair behind her ear.
I nodded.
“How is the ruler chosen?” She wrinkled her nose. “And how long do they rule? If the castle is unhappy with them, do they get disappeared?”
My fingers itched to grab my axe and keep chopping my wood, but maybe if I took the time to explain this to her, to make her see why she needed to forgive Cillian, then I’d be free of her incessant questions. “The ruler is chosen when a crown appears on their head.”
I still remembered the day Cillian had gotten his crown.
It had been five long years after Lor died.
I’d been drinking myself silly in the tavern when my stepfather had burst in, grabbed me by the collar, and told me to sober up.
When I finally had, I’d found my family, all surrounding Cillian, the crown gleaming over his head as he looked absolutely petrified.
I vowed that day that I’d protect him in a way I hadn’t protected Lor.
That I’d stop drinking, stop feeling sorry for myself, and keep Cillian safe.
“And the previous ruler didn’t disappear.
He now lives a peaceful life in a cottage on the next hill.
” I pointed toward his cottage, slightly bigger than my cabin.
“He lives there with his wife, and they’re content to no longer be ruling.
They were getting older, tired, and I think the castle sensed it was time for a new high prince and queen.
” I turned to Niamh. “Cillian is under a tremendous amount of pressure. He wanted you to feel comfortable first, to get to know Fairwitch Isle and the castle before learning all that was at stake. He wasn’t trying to lie to you. ”
“Maybe not,” she said, “but I still have to give him a hard time just so he knows to never do it again.”
“Fair enough.” I hoped that meant she’d forgive him soon and leave me alone.
“You’re really strong,” she said out of nowhere.
This woman’s mind worked so fast; I could barely keep up with her train of thought.
“I have to be strong,” I said. “It’s how I keep Cillian safe.”
“Wouldn’t it be safer if you were in the castle with him?”
“The guards take shifts around the clock. I don’t need to be in the castle with him.” It was outside the castle that most concerned me.
“I’m not strong,” Niamh said, and I had no idea how to respond to that. “But I want to be. I’m tired of being scared all the time.”
I sighed, sensing she wanted someone to talk to. “Niamh, I’m not the right person to talk to about this—”
She turned suddenly, her eyes alight with excitement. “Would you train me?”
“What?” No. Absolutely not. Train her? I wasn’t equipped to train anyone, to do anything that would take away from my job guarding my brother.
She leaned forward, enough that even with the wind, I could smell just a hint of rose. I inched backward.
“C’mon, sunshine.” She flicked my bicep. “Don’t tell me you haven’t had the urge to hit me once or twice. This will be your chance!”
I wasn’t going to answer that, especially not when it was so true.
“No,” I said. “Ask one of the royal guard. Maybe they can help.”
“I don’t know the royal guard.” She bit her lip. “I also don’t trust them.”
“And you trust me?” I asked, taken aback. I’d been terse, grumpy, and aggressive with her. I didn’t know why she’d trust me with anything. I wasn’t sure I trusted myself. The only thing I trusted I could do was keep my brother safe. That was it. My sole purpose. Surely she knew that by now.
“I’ve seen you fight multiple times. I’ve seen how loyal you are to your brother. I do trust you, even if you’re mean and stern. But that’s why I know you’ll train me well. You won’t cut me any slack, and you won’t hold back.”
“You’re right, I wouldn’t. But I still won’t train you.”
“Why?” She threw up her hands.
Why? I wasn’t sure I could answer that question. I wasn’t sure I knew the answer to that question.
“It doesn’t matter. I just can’t train you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. I’ll show up at your cottage every day and talk and talk and talk some more. I’ll tell you about all the books I’ve read. Steamy ones with scenes that would make you blush—”
I held up my hand. “No.” She’d already manipulated me once by threatening to talk to me. I wouldn’t fall for that again.
She raised a brow. “You think I won’t do it?”
“I think you’ll be too busy to do it. You have a castle to win over, a library to clean, and a high prince to wed.”
She crossed her arms. “Fine, but if you won’t do it for me, then do it for your brother.”
That caught me off guard. “What does Cillian have to do with this?”
“I’m his future wife, the supposed queen of Fairwitch Isle. You wouldn’t want the person most precious to him to be in danger, would you? Training me will ensure that I can hold my own, that you won’t be forced to choose between protecting me and Cillian in an emergency.”
I sighed and rubbed my temples, knowing that I was going to say yes to this preposterous proposal.
It wasn’t her argument that had won me over but the desperation in her voice.
She was scared of something, or someone, and she wanted to know she could defend herself.
If the castle rejected her, which I suspected it very well might based on Cillian’s past brides, she’d be on her own again, and she deserved a fighting chance out there.
I just wished she would’ve gone to someone else, but she hadn’t, and I could stand to see her a few times a week. She’d be so busy training and fighting that she wouldn’t have time to talk.
“If I say yes,” I said, “will you leave?”
She clapped her hands together and then threw her arms around me. All her body weight pressed into me, and I stiffened, feeling all the soft parts of her. I hadn’t had physical contact with anyone in a long time, and it was doing things to me, like making my blood heat, that I didn’t like.
I pushed her away and coughed into my hand. “We start tomorrow. Meet here.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you.” She jumped up, walking backward. “Thank you.” She stumbled, almost falling, but caught herself. “Thank you so much.”
“You can stop saying thank you. And turn around so you don’t fall flat on your face.”
“Right.” She turned and looked over her shoulder, green eyes twinkling.
I was already regretting this.