Read Online The Battle Sylph by L. J. McDonald - Free Book Online
Authors: L. J. McDonald
Tags: Fiction
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Heyou, and then away again. “You can’t stay here forever.”
Meaning, Heyou couldn’t stay. And she doubted she’d be a welcome guest for too long herself. Solie nodded, forcing her fear down. She’d figure something out. It wasn’t as if anyone could hurt her with Heyou at her side. So she tucked her hand around his arm and led the battler away, thanking the old man as she went up into the attic.
Heyou looked at her curiously as she flopped down onto the tick. “What’s happening?” he asked finally. “Who is this man you’re afraid of?”
Solie shrugged, wishing things were different. Still, he deserved to know. “My father. He wants me to marry a man I don’t even like. So I ran away from home. That’s when I got kidnapped and ran into you.” She started gnawing on a thumbnail. “I thought I’d be okay if I went to my aunt’s house, but he came after me.”
“Oh.” Heyou paused. “I can kill him for you.”
“No!” she gasped. “I just want him to let me live my life!”
“Yes, my queen.” Heyou sighed and settled down near her on the hard floor.
Solie lay back on the tick, exhausted and sad. Even though it was only mid afternoon, the day had been long and all she wanted was for her aunt to just come and collect her. It didn’t seem like that was going to happen though.
Heyou sat and watched her fall asleep, not needing to sleep himself. He watched Solie’s breathing deepen and thought about this father who threatened her. He wanted to hunt the man down and kill him, obliterate him so that his queen couldn’t be hurt again. She hadn’t specifically ordered him not to, but she certainly hadn’t told him he could. He’d have to wait and hope the man stayed away, he decided, because if the man threatened his queen again, he would be dealt with. Heyou wouldn’t have Solie afraid, no matter what. He thought again of when she’d pressed her mouth against his, and he shivered. He’d liked that.
Outside, he sensed the air sylph who’d been following them. She swooped away, vanishing, and he felt one of several tensions deep inside him ease. He looked back at Solie. She was safe for now, as safe as he could make her, and he’d keep her that way. He still wanted her physically, but that desire was tempered by a deeper urge to protect her—and by an awareness that she was giving him choices, not just ordering him. He didn’t quite know what to do with those choices, but he was pretty sure he liked them nearly as much as the kiss. As long as she kept him by her side, he thought he would always be happy.
Hours later, as the sun started to dip toward the horizon in late afternoon, he heard a knock on the door and the old man going to answer it. Heyou walked to the window and looked out and down to see a red-haired man standing atthe door. He growled immediately, recognizing him. Another stocky man was present as well.
Solie still slept. Heyou glanced at her, thinking. She’d told him not to kill when she sent him to get clothes, but she hadn’t specified that rule as applying all of the time. She’d told him not to hurt her father, but she hadn’t ordered it. That must mean he could make up his own mind.
Heyou decided to frighten the man away, to convince the villain to leave his queen alone. He headed for the stairs, grinning cruelly as he went.
Chapter Six
Leon went home before he headed out of the city, unprepared as he was for any coming long journey. He rode his horse to the small stable of his manor and dismounted, holding Ril up out of the way of the stableman who stepped forward to take the horse. Ril glared, but the stableman was used to his hate and bowed to both the battler and Leon before the hawk was shifted to Leon’s shoulder and Leon headed toward the house.
His estate was on a patch of land inside the city that was barely half an acre in size, surrounded by a huge stone wall. The house was made of the same material, square and forbidding. It was centuries old,
Meaning, Heyou couldn’t stay. And she doubted she’d be a welcome guest for too long herself. Solie nodded, forcing her fear down. She’d figure something out. It wasn’t as if anyone could hurt her with Heyou at her side. So she tucked her hand around his arm and led the battler away, thanking the old man as she went up into the attic.
Heyou looked at her curiously as she flopped down onto the tick. “What’s happening?” he asked finally. “Who is this man you’re afraid of?”
Solie shrugged, wishing things were different. Still, he deserved to know. “My father. He wants me to marry a man I don’t even like. So I ran away from home. That’s when I got kidnapped and ran into you.” She started gnawing on a thumbnail. “I thought I’d be okay if I went to my aunt’s house, but he came after me.”
“Oh.” Heyou paused. “I can kill him for you.”
“No!” she gasped. “I just want him to let me live my life!”
“Yes, my queen.” Heyou sighed and settled down near her on the hard floor.
Solie lay back on the tick, exhausted and sad. Even though it was only mid afternoon, the day had been long and all she wanted was for her aunt to just come and collect her. It didn’t seem like that was going to happen though.
Heyou sat and watched her fall asleep, not needing to sleep himself. He watched Solie’s breathing deepen and thought about this father who threatened her. He wanted to hunt the man down and kill him, obliterate him so that his queen couldn’t be hurt again. She hadn’t specifically ordered him not to, but she certainly hadn’t told him he could. He’d have to wait and hope the man stayed away, he decided, because if the man threatened his queen again, he would be dealt with. Heyou wouldn’t have Solie afraid, no matter what. He thought again of when she’d pressed her mouth against his, and he shivered. He’d liked that.
Outside, he sensed the air sylph who’d been following them. She swooped away, vanishing, and he felt one of several tensions deep inside him ease. He looked back at Solie. She was safe for now, as safe as he could make her, and he’d keep her that way. He still wanted her physically, but that desire was tempered by a deeper urge to protect her—and by an awareness that she was giving him choices, not just ordering him. He didn’t quite know what to do with those choices, but he was pretty sure he liked them nearly as much as the kiss. As long as she kept him by her side, he thought he would always be happy.
Hours later, as the sun started to dip toward the horizon in late afternoon, he heard a knock on the door and the old man going to answer it. Heyou walked to the window and looked out and down to see a red-haired man standing atthe door. He growled immediately, recognizing him. Another stocky man was present as well.
Solie still slept. Heyou glanced at her, thinking. She’d told him not to kill when she sent him to get clothes, but she hadn’t specified that rule as applying all of the time. She’d told him not to hurt her father, but she hadn’t ordered it. That must mean he could make up his own mind.
Heyou decided to frighten the man away, to convince the villain to leave his queen alone. He headed for the stairs, grinning cruelly as he went.
Chapter Six
Leon went home before he headed out of the city, unprepared as he was for any coming long journey. He rode his horse to the small stable of his manor and dismounted, holding Ril up out of the way of the stableman who stepped forward to take the horse. Ril glared, but the stableman was used to his hate and bowed to both the battler and Leon before the hawk was shifted to Leon’s shoulder and Leon headed toward the house.
His estate was on a patch of land inside the city that was barely half an acre in size, surrounded by a huge stone wall. The house was made of the same material, square and forbidding. It was centuries old,
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